Topic: Cav1.3

The roles of auxiliary α2δ subunits of voltage-gated calcium channels (CaVs) in modulating channel membrane expression and calcium current properties are widely recognized. In addition, recent literature suggests an important role of α2δ proteins in synapse formation, differentiation, and synaptic wiring. Therefore, it is not surprising that α2δ proteins have been linked to neurological, neurodevelopmental, and neuropsychiatric disorders. Genetic variants of the α2δ-2 isoform have been associated with epileptic encephalopathy and cerebellar atrophy. In this study we performed a detailed functi

De novo gain-of-function mutations in Cav1.3 voltage-gated L-type calcium channels (CACNA1D gene) confer a high risk for neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric diseases. However, how these mutations affect neuronal function remains elusive. Previously, we demonstrated that the autism-associated A749G mutation induced an overall dendritic spine elongation in transfected mouse hippocampal neurons. This study aimed to investigate the influence of A749G Cav1.3 channels on the dendritic branching, spine density, and neuronal soma size in the brains of heterozygous (HET) A749G knock-in mice. To do

The remarkable navigation abilities of the rock pigeon (Columba livia) are facilitated by a sensory system that allows the detection of magnetic fields. While there is compelling behavioral evidence demonstrating the existence of a magnetic sense, the neuronal circuits that process magnetic information in the brain are largely unknown, and the primary sensory cells and transduction molecules have yet to be identified. To address these issues, we combined tissue clearing and light sheet microscopy to screen the pigeon brain for magnetically induced neuronal activity via C-FOS expression. This s

Ribbon synapses in the retina provide sustained glutamatergic transmitter release that is controlled by Cav1.4 L-type calcium channels in photoreceptors. In bipolar cells the voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCC) responsible for release are less conclusive. We therefore addressed the VGCCs expressed in mouse rod bipolar cells (RBC). We enriched RBCs by FACS-sorting and quantified mRNA expression levels of Cav1, Cav2 and auxiliary VGCC subunit isoforms, including selected splice variants. Transcript variants of candidate VGCC genes were confirmed in RT-PCR and through screening of RNAseq datase