The large-conductance ion channels in the nuclear envelope of central neurons.

Patch-clamp recording from the nuclear envelope of a variety of cells has revealed the presence of large-conductance ion channels. It has been argued that these channels are the channels of the nuclear pore complex for passive nucleo-cytoplasmic diffusion. Here we studied spontaneously active large-conductance ion channels in the nuclear envelope of cerebellar Purkinje neurons.

Spontaneously active and InsP3-activated ion channels in cell nuclei from rat cerebellar Purkinje and granule neurones.

Increases in Ca(2+) concentration in the nucleus of neurones modulate gene transcription and may be involved in activity-dependent long-term plasticity, apoptosis, and neurotoxicity. Little is currently known about the regulation of Ca(2+) in the nuclei of neurones. Investigation of neuronal nuclei is hampered by the cellular heterogeneity of the brain where neurones comprise no more than 10% of the cells.