Content area
Full text
Acid reflux and heartburn affect more than 20 percent of the U.S. population, but common medications to treat the disease might not work for a large portion people who suffer from the diseases.
In a new study, University of Michigan researchers have identified a pathway in the cells of the stomach lining that could be a promising target for new drugs to treat the disease.
When we eat, histamine, which regulates function in the gut, binds with a receptor on the epithelial cells--or cells lining the inside of the stomach. When histamine does this, it nudges an ion channel protein called TRPML1 to trigger a calcium pathway.
The calcium pathway triggers the movement of yet another key protein called proton pumps, said lead...