ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) is an important endogenous damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP). P2X7R is an ATP-gated cation channel. ATP-P2X7R plays a vital role in the pathophysiology of many diseases because P2X7R is distributed on various immune cells. ATP-P2X7R signal transduction pathway has been implicated to participate in the body's im-mune defense against pathogens. This paper reviews the recent progress regarding ATP-P2X7R and its effects on parasitic diseas-es.

To analyze the structural specificity of Shenque (CV 8) in terms of vascular biology from the three aspects of structure, tissue and molecular anatomies. On structural anatomy Shenque (CV 8) possessed defined vascular structure and was the only acupoint directly affected vascular intima. The basis of the specific therapeutic effects was owing to its relation with vessel and abundant microcirculation. Endothelial cells and microvascular endothelial cells were the tissue basis of the starting of therapeutic specificity. Molecular anatomy involved in the functions of transient receptor potential vanilloid family (TRPV) pathway and neuronal peptide secretion of endothelial cells in the structural function of the point. The "restoringfor collapse" effect of salt-partition moxibustion at Shenque (CV 8) was analyzed based on the local biological specificity of blood vessels. The mechanisms were concluded as effectively targeting the dysfunction of microvascular endothelial cells and acquiring the maximum quantity of moxibustion by repeated warm-heat stimulation. The vascular biological structural features of Shenque (CV 8) may contribute to direct therapeutic effects on endothelial cells by the point.