Functional integration of calcium regulatory mechanisms at purkinje neuron synapses

Abstract

Cerebellar Purkinje neurons receive synaptic inputs from three different sources: the excitatory parallel fibre and climbing fibre synapses as well as the inhibitory synapses from molecular layer stellate and basket cells. These three synaptic systems use distinct mechanisms in order to generate Ca 2+ signals that are specialized for specific modes of neurotransmitter release and postsynaptic signal integration. In this review, we first describe the repertoire of Ca2+ regulatory mechanisms that generate and regulate the amplitude and timing of Ca2+ fluxes during synaptic transmission and then explore how these mechanisms interact to generate the unique functional properties of each of the Purkinje neuron synapses. © The Author(s) 2010. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com.