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PHYSIOLOGYNEWS summer 2004 | number 55 A publication of the Physiological Society Images of physiology Thelma Lovick takes a sideways look at neuroscience Have you ever noticed how fashions change in physiology? How the most unlikely findings, once relegated to the ‘interesting’ phenomena file, suddenly become the latest thing? Or how Emancipation of astrocytes significant progress, sometimes made Then in the mid ‘80s, their time had in the late 19th or early 20th century, lies come. Between 1985 and 1990 there apparently dormant for decades? was a 500-fold increase in the annual rate of publications on astrocytes (data Such bits of information languish in from ISI Web of Science). These days dark recesses of the collective memory, you can hardly open a neuroscience using up space that could more journal without an astrocyte falling out. usefully(?) be dedicated to the really And they are so photogenic…quite cutting edge stuff. But then the beautiful and, thanks to modern image scientific climate changes and, enhancement software, they now come suddenly, yesterday’s worthy-but-dull in a huge range of attractive colours. fact gets re-examined, dusted off and catapulted to superstardom. One such Glial power candidate for superstar status has to be Now, astrocytes are recognised as the humble astrocyte. crucial participants in almost all of the integrated functions of the nervous Golgi and Cajal lit a slow- system. They clean, they feed, they burning fuse nurture, they repair. And who do they Where did it all start? Well, as with so do it for? It’s for those macho much in the brain, you will find that neurones. Behind every Cajal and Golgi had been there, stained successful/powerful neurone is a fleet it, named it and drawn a pretty accurate of astrocytes whose contribution has, picture - some 100 years or so until recently, gone largely previously. But the fuse they lit burned unrecognised. Are you surprised? You very slowly, at least in the shouldn’t be, it’s just a case of physiological consciousness. Astrocytes neuroscience imitating life. smouldered for a few decades…there were lots of them in the brain but they Thelma Lovick seemed very much back seat players. Outnumbering neurones by about 10 to one in man, they provided a supportive Send in your contributions for scaffold for neurones and generally ‘Images of physiology’. A £50 kept the extracellular environment tidy by mopping up excess potassium…and prize awaits the best image that seemed to be it. Because the real received for each issue of players in the brain were the neurones. Physiology News. Far left, from the top: Cajal (left) and Golgi Astrocytes as seen by Cajal Cambrex online catalogue (www.cambrex.com) sfn.org brain briefings, December, 2000 (Vladimir Purpura) Nedergaard et al (2003). TINS, 26, 523-530 Left: Nedergaard et al (2003). TINS, 26, 523-530 PHYSIOLOGYNEWS Contents Editorial 3 The Society’s dog. ‘Rudolf Magnus gave Newcastle Meeting Barry Hirst 4 me to Charles Sherrington, who gave me Nottingham Meeting Paul Greenhaff, Michael Rennie 4 to Henry Dale, who gave me to the 6, 38, 40 Physiological Society in October 1942’ Images of Glasgow Features Published quarterly by the Physiological Society The Athens Olympics: some lessons in thermal physiology Ron Maughan 5 That was the week that was ... Alan North 7 Contributions and Queries Executive Editor Halt on Cambridge primate centre Nancy Rothwell 11 Linda Rimmer From magnetic moments to medical imaging The Physiological Society Austin Elliott 12 Publications Office Can a single bout of exercise prevent decompression sickness? Ulrik Building 4A, The Michael Young Centre Wisløff, Russell S Richardson, Zeljko Dujic, Alf O Brubakk 16 Purbeck Road Cambridge CB2 2HP Understanding skeletal muscle hypertrophy: integration of cell signalling Douglas Bolster, Neil Kubica, Stephen Crozier, David Williamson, Peter Tel: +44 (0)1223 400180 Fax: +44 (0)1223 246858 Farrell, Scot Kimball, Leonard Jefferson 18 Email: [email protected] Bidirectional synaptic plasticity and motor learning in the cerebellum The Society web server: http://www.physoc.org Francis Crépel, Armelle Rancillac 20 Magazine Editorial Board The large conductance calcium-activated potassium channel (BKCa) and Editor Austin Elliott (University of Manchester) the ß2 adrenergic receptor (AR): a direct link to uterine relaxation Boonsri Members Chanrachakul, Fiona Broughton Pipkin, Raheela N Khan 22 Lesley Anson (Nature) Laura Blackburn (University of Cambridge) Imaging the activity of single calcium channels: ‘optical patch-clamp Munir Hussain (University of Liverpool) recording’ Angelo Demuro, Ian Parker 24 John Lee (Rotherham General Hospital) Thelma Lovick (University of Birmingham) Brain waves plainly speaking Yacov Fischer 27 Bill Winlow (Prime Medica, Knutsford) Getting insight into the work of tendons Oksana Kostyuk, Robert Brown 28 © 2004 The Physiological Society Vasopressin may limit its own secretion with the help of pituicytes Lia ISSN 1476-7996 Rosso, Brigitta Peteri-Brunbäck, Jean-Marc Mienville 30 The Society permits the single copying of Qualia and private languages Denis Noble 32 individual articles for private study or research. For copying or reproduction for any other purpose, written permission must be sought from the International News Physiological Society. Clinical physiology in Warsaw Bohdan Lewartowski, Andrzej Beresewicz 34 Why British physiologists should be part of the European Space Opinions expressed in articles and letters submitted Programme Michael J Rennie 35 by, or commissioned from Members, Affiliates or outside bodies are not necessarily those of the Council activities 10 Physiological Society. The Journal of Physiology 37 The Physiological Society is registered in England Affiliate News as a company limited by guarantee, UK Grad courses Laura Blackburn 38 No 323575. Registered office: PO Box 11319, London WC1X 8WQ Registered Charity No 39 211585. Letters to the Editor Society News Printed by The Lavenham Press Ltd Voices of the Future 2004 Emily Ferenczi, Andrew Murton 43 Deputy Executive Secretary on winning team Maggie Leggett 44 Cover photo The scanning electron Biosciences Federation Maggie Leggett 44 microscope image was Pfizer Prizes 45 generated by the Biomedical Unbelievable! 46 EM Unit of the University of Obituaries Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Gerald A Kerkut Robert J Walker 47 shows bovine rumen John Atherton Young Maynard Case 49 epithelium with adherent Graham Francis Baker Malcolm Segal, Richard Naftalin 49 microflora. This work was funded by a grant from Pfizer Nachman Ambache Desmond Greaves 50 Global Research to C. Hannelore Pawelzik Alex Thomson 50 Graham and N.L. Simmons Book Reviews 51 (School of Cell and Molecular Noticeboard 52 Biosciences) PHYSIOLOGYNEWS Action points In this issue Grants Grant schemes have changed. For full information on Members’ and Affiliates’ Grants, Pfizer In Vivo Physiology Grants, Intercalated Welcome to the Summer issue. people into all sorts of occupations, as BSs Bursaries, Network Interaction Grants, Non- we hope you will see as the series Society Symposia Grants, Postgraduate Support One of the things we like to bring out develops. Fund information and the Vacation Studentship Scheme please visit: in Physiology News is the great http://www.physoc.org/grants variety of ways one can practise We are also committed to bringing experimental physiology, and the you news on issues relevant to Membership applications different places one can carry it out. physiologists. Apart from the regular Applications for Full and Affiliate Membership This time we have pieces relating to Society news, Nancy Rothwell are received throughout the year and have no deadlines. A decision is normally made within 10 physiology in Poland discusses the halt on the Cambridge weeks of the Administration Office receiving the (p. 34), in space (p. 35), under the Primate Centre (p. 11), while application. For full details please visit: sea (p. 16), in the searing heat (p. 5), young scientists Emily Ferenczi and http://www.physoc.org/join in the operating theatre and Andrew Murton report on anaesthetic recovery room room (p. meeting the parliamentarians, Change of address 39) and even in Birmingham (p. 40). including Secretary of State for Members should inform the Administration Office We have 20 pages of scientific articles Education Charles Clarke (p. 43). of any changes of address, telephone, fax or email address. and another 9 pages of features. Finally, several writers in this issue Changes can be emailed to: [email protected] or are worried about a traditional role of updated online at http://www.physoc.org Talking of features, in this issue we university physiologists, namely launch a new series: ‘A week in the teaching medical students (see pp. 23, life of ...’ Each issue a Society 40-41 and 46). Is this ‘service’ Physiology News member will tell us about his or her teaching undervalued? Or should we working week - we kick off with still be doing it at all? Deadlines Society President Alan North. In We are keen to hear what you, the Letters and articles and all other contributions for future issues we hope to use this Members, think. Let's keep inclusion in the Autumn 2004 issue, No. 56, series to bring home the full range of emailing and make the Physiology should reach the Publications Office ([email protected]) by 7 June, 2004. The what Members do with their working News letters column a real forum copy date for the Winter 2004 issue, No. 57, is 20 time – in Britain and abroad, in for discussion on this and any other September. Late copy can be included if space universities and other research issue you feel strongly about. permits. environments, and in other kinds of jobs. A training in physiology can take Austin Elliott Suggestions for articles Suggestions for future articles are welcome. Please contact either the Executive Editor or a member of the Editorial Group of Physiology News (see contents page for details). Physiology News Online Physiology News is now available on our website: http://www.physoc.org.