A Nonconventional Look at Ionic Fluxes in the Skin: Lessons From Genetically Modified Mice

Marjorie Guitard , Celine Leyvraz and Edith Hummler Départment de Pharmacologie et de Toxicologie, Université de Lausanne, CH-1005 Lausanne, Switzerland The mammalian, highly amiloride-sensitive epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) is member of the degenerin/ENaC superfamily of ion channels known to be implicated in sodium homeostasis, mechanosensation, and mechanoperception. A novel role for ENaC implicated in differentiation processes in skin reshapes our current view of this ancient transmembrane channel protein.