Pond Snails Help Scientists Discover How T-type Channels Work (IMAGE)
Caption
T-type channels in pond snails and other invertebrates are similar to those found in humans. Biologists have discovered how an outer shield over T-type channels change the electrochemical signaling of heart and brain cells. Understanding how these shields work will help researchers eventually develop a new class of drugs for treating epilepsy, cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Although pond snails reach only seven cm in length, its simple neural network and physiology make it a popular model organism with neurobiologists.
Credit
University of Waterloo
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