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Dendritic calcium mechanisms and long‐term potentiation in cortical inhibitory interneurons
Author(s) -
Topolnik Lisa
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
european journal of neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.346
H-Index - 206
eISSN - 1460-9568
pISSN - 0953-816X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2011.07988.x
Subject(s) - postsynaptic potential , excitatory postsynaptic potential , neuroscience , long term potentiation , inhibitory postsynaptic potential , post tetanic potentiation , synaptic plasticity , nonsynaptic plasticity , postsynaptic density , biology , gabaergic , chemistry , metaplasticity , receptor , biochemistry
Calcium (Ca 2+ ) is a major second messenger in the regulation of different forms of synaptic and intrinsic plasticity. Tightly organized in space and time, postsynaptic Ca 2+ transients trigger the activation of many distinct Ca 2+ signaling cascades, providing a means for a highly specific signal transduction and plasticity induction. High‐resolution two‐photon microscopy combined with highly sensitive synthetic Ca 2+ indicators in brain slices allowed for the quantification and analysis of postsynaptic Ca 2+ dynamics in great detail. Much of our current knowledge about postsynaptic Ca 2+ mechanisms is derived from studying Ca 2+ transients in the dendrites and spines of pyramidal neurons. However, postsynaptic Ca 2+ dynamics differ considerably among different cell types. In particular, distinct rules of postsynaptic Ca 2+ signaling and, accordingly, of Ca 2+ ‐dependent plasticity operate in GABAergic interneurons. Here, I review recent progress in understanding the complex organization of postsynaptic Ca 2+ signaling and its relevance to several forms of long‐term potentiation at excitatory synapses in cortical GABAergic interneurons.