Call for papers

The Journal of Physiology

Ion Channel Dynamics in the Vasculature: From Physiology to Disease 

Submission deadline: Wednesday 31st March 2027 

 Ion channels are central determinants of vascular tone, blood flow distribution, and microcirculatory homeostasis, integrating mechanical, metabolic, and neurohumoral signals across endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells, and pericytes. Recent advances have shown that ion channel regulation in the microcirculation is considerably more complex than previously appreciated. New mechanisms have emerged, including nanoscale signaling domains (such as RyR–BK coupling), mechanotransduction mediated by PIEZO TRP, and TMEM16/ANO channels, and the context-dependent regulation of K⁺ channels in different vascular beds and disease settings. There is also increasing recognition that ion channel function differs substantially between organs, with important distinctions among the cerebral, coronary, pulmonary and visceral microcirculations. This special issue is linked to the focused meeting held in Oxford in August 2026 on “Ion Channels in Organ Microcirculatory Control: Emerging Ideas and Pathological Relevance” brings together leading experts and early-career researchers addressing these themes, spanning molecular mechanisms, integrative physiology, and translational relevance. The diversity of topics, from pericyte electrophysiology and lymphatic signaling to oxygen sensing and acid–base regulation, underscores a critical need to consolidate current knowledge into a unified framework that links ion channel behavior to vascular function and dysfunction. 

By combining invited reviews and original research contributions from meeting participants and the broader field, this Special Issue aims to define current challenges, identify knowledge gaps, and stimulate new directions in vascular ion channel research. 

Topics for this call for papers include, but are not restricted to: 

• Ion Channel Microdomains and Coupling Mechanisms 

• Endothelial and Pericyte Ion Channels in Microcirculatory Control 

• Mechanosensitive and TRP Channels in Vascular Function 

• Ion Channels in Organ-Specific Vascular Beds 

• Metabolic and Environmental Sensing 

• Ion Channels in Vascular Disease and Remodelling 

• Emerging Methodologies and Technologies 

 Guest Editors: 

• Professor M. Teresa Perez-Garcia
  Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Physiology
  University of Valladolid, Spain
• Professor Paolo Tammaro 
  Department of Pharmacology
  University of Oxford, UK
• Dr. Rumaitha Al-Hosni
  Department of Pharmacology
  University of Oxford, UK 

 Submission Guidelines/Instructions 

Please refer to the Author Guidelines to prepare your manuscript. 

If you wish to submit a paper to this special issue, please contact the Guest Editors, indicating your interest, including a working title and 3-4 sentence description of the proposed content. 

All submissions will undergo standard peer review, and accepted papers will be published ‘In Press’ upon final acceptance and will be fully citable. 

There are no publication charges and no page limits for all articles. 

Submissions should be made online via The Journal of Physiology submission site. 

During submission, please indicate when prompted and in the Comments box that you wish your paper to be considered for the ‘Ion Channel Dynamics in the Vasculature: From Physiology to Disease’ special issue.