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TMEM16 Proteins (Anoctamins) in Epithelia

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Ion Channels and Transporters of Epithelia in Health and Disease

Part of the book series: Physiology in Health and Disease ((PIHD))

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Abstract

The members of transmembrane 16 (TMEM16) family, also known as anoctamins, are membrane proteins characterized by eight putative transmembrane segments and regulated by cytosolic calcium. TMEM16A (ANO1) and TMEM16B (ANO2) are calcium-activated chloride channels, whereas other anoctamins, such as TMEM16F (ANO6), are associated with calcium-activated scrambling of membrane glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids. TMEM16F also shows ion channel activity although at very high calcium concentrations. In airway, salivary, biliary, and pancreatic epithelial cells, TMEM16A represents a route for chloride and bicarbonate secretion across the apical membrane. In airway epithelial cells, TMEM16A expression is strongly stimulated by Th2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-13. This upregulation occurs in mucus-producing goblet cells thus indicating a particular role of TMEM16A in mucus release and expansion. In intestinal epithelial cells, TMEM16A shows instead a basolateral localization and a different mechanism to modulate transepithelial ion transport.

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Acknowledgments

Our work was supported by Ministero della Salute (Ricerca Finalizzata: GR-2009-1596824; Ricerca Corrente: Cinque per mille), Telethon Foundation (GGP10026), and Fondazione Italiana Fibrosi Cistica (FFC#2/2012).

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Correspondence to Luis J. V. Galietta .

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Scudieri, P., Galietta, L.J.V. (2016). TMEM16 Proteins (Anoctamins) in Epithelia. In: Hamilton, K., Devor, D. (eds) Ion Channels and Transporters of Epithelia in Health and Disease. Physiology in Health and Disease. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3366-2_17

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