Dynamic Regulation of Mitochondrial [Ca] in Hippocampal Neurons.

While neuronal mitochondria have been studied extensively in their role in health and disease, the rules that govern calcium regulation in mitochondria remain somewhat vague. In the present study using cultured rat hippocampal neurons transfected with the mtRCaMP mitochondrial calcium sensor, we investigated the effects of cytosolic calcium surges on the dynamics of mitochondrial calcium ([Ca]m). Cytosolic calcium ([Ca]c) was measured using the high affinity sensor Fluo-2.

Calcium Sensors STIM1 and STIM2 Regulate Different Calcium Functions in Cultured Hippocampal Neurons.

There are growing indications for the involvement of calcium stores in the plastic properties of neurons and particularly in dendritic spines of central neurons. The store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) channels are assumed to be activated by the calcium sensor stromal interaction molecule (STIM)which leads to activation of its associated Orai channel. There are two STIM species, and the differential role of the two in SOCE is not entirely clear.