Main Cations and Cellular Biology of Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

Traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI) is a devastating condition lacking effective treatments. This review explores the roles of various cations (sodium, potassium, lithium, calcium, magnesium, and iron) in the cellular biology of tSCI. Cations influence key cellular processes like protein interactions, gene transcription, and inflammation. Understanding these interactions is crucial for developing therapies that maintain a narrow balance in cell ion concentrations. The review emphasizes studying cation dynamics to understand neuro-degenerative processes and develop effective neuroprotective strategies for tSCI.

• 1
  Following spinal cord injury, primary mechanical trauma can cause cell swelling and lysis, increasing the extracellular Ca2+ concentration, leading to excitotoxicity.
• 2
  High sodium concentrations in the extracellular space can disrupt the cell's osmotic balance and lead to cytotoxic edema and intracellular acidosis.
• 3
  Potassium channels, particularly Kir4.1, play a vital role in regulating physiological processes in the CNS, and their downregulation is common in various CNS disorders after SCI.