IV Miguel R. Covian Symposium: new challenges for physiologists

Abstract

in Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. Leão and von Gersdorff (1) demonstrated the importance of Ca 2+ buffering in the developing rat calyx of Held. Garção and Mattioli (2) showed that L-histidine, a histaminergic precursor, impairs memory consolidation in Carassius auratus after cerebellar ablation. Cofiel and Mattioli (3), also using L-histamine, evaluated the role of the histaminergic system in learning and stress and showed its importance in the modulation of these responses in zebrafish. The study by Margatho et al. (4) suggested that central amygdala GABAergic mechanisms are involved in atrial natriuretic peptide and oxytocin secretion in response to blood volume expansion. Nascimento and Branco (5) suggested an interesting synergism between peripheral and spinal heme oxygenase-carbon monoxide pathways that may play an antinociceptive role. Evidence was presented by de Faria et al. (6) that activation of purinergic receptors in the brain may affect water intake in animals submitted to dehydration. Burnstock (7) reviewed the history of his discovery of purinergic transmission and the role of ATP as a cotransmitter in all nerves of the peripheral and central nervous systems. The possible involvement of purinergic mechanisms in several diseases of the central nervous system was also discussed. In the field of renal physiology, Ma et al. (8) presented a review related to the renal protective effect of the blockade of stress-activated protein kinases p38 and JNK, which may be relevant to therapeutic interventions in human renal disease. Balbi et al. (9) reviewed the interaction of mitogen-activated protein kinases and angiotensin II during renal development. With respect to calcium mechanisms, Petersen (10) presented an important review of the role of Ca 2+ signaling in pancreatic acinar cells in physiological and pathophysiological conditions. This review is an excellent example of the translational physiology from basic concepts to a human disease such as pancreatitis. Rodrigues et al. (11) presented an interesting review discussing the role of Ca 2+ signaling in the cell nucleus and Navegantes et al. (12) highlighted the mechanisms and effects of Ca 2+ -dependent protein degradation on oxidative muscles by increasing calpastatin levels and the mechanisms by which endogenous catecholamines induce anabolic muscle effects.In the cardiovascular field we have three interesting reviews. Durand et al. (13) (16) presented a review of the central effect of glucocorticoids in the control of body fluid homeostasis and the role of endocannabinoids, glutamate neurotransmission and the nuclear factor kappa B pathways. Leonelli et al. (17) discussed the new roles of neurotransmitters in development, plasticity, neurodegeneration and neuroprotection with focus on endocannabinoids and nitric oxide, which are considered to be unconventional neurotransmitters. Garcia-Cairasco (18) discussed epilepsies in the context of neurobiological models of high complexity systems displaying maladaptive plasticity. Different concepts involvi...