Dynamic roles of ion currents in early development

Abstract

Excitable cells have the capacity to modify their electrical properties in response to different stimuli. This specific feature is due to a flux of ion currents that flow via ion channels in the plasma membrane. In all species so far studied, ion channels are proteins expressed in the zygote and in the blastomeres of the developing embryo, and their activity is subject to dynamic changes throughout the early cleavage stages. Although these complex patterns imply that ion currents play a role in signal transduction and the control of embryogenesis, a specific developmental function for the appearance, loss, and alterations of the channels remains to be elucidated. This review reports several aspects surrounding the involvement of ion currents in early embryo development, from invertebrates to human. It focuses on the occurrence, modulation, and dynamic role of ion fluxes through external, intra- and inter-cellular ion channels from the zygote up to the blastula and pre-implantation stages. The implications for a role of ion currents in development, and their possible clinical and technological applications are discussed.