Calcium Signals Can Cross the Nuclear Envelope in Neurons
Author Information
Author(s): Eder Anja, Bading Hilmar
Primary Institution: Department of Neurobiology, Interdisciplinary Centre for Neurosciences, Heidelberg, Germany
Hypothesis
Can calcium signals generated by neuronal activity at the cell membrane freely cross the nuclear envelope to invade the nucleus?
Conclusion
The nuclear envelope does not restrict calcium transients to the somatic cytosol, allowing calcium signals to freely enter the cell nucleus to trigger genomic events.
Supporting Evidence
- Calcium signals were shown to diffuse freely into and out of the nucleus.
- The study found no evidence for a gating mechanism for calcium movement across the nuclear border.
- Calcium transients in the nucleus and cytoplasm rose with virtually identical slopes and maximum values.
Takeaway
Calcium can move in and out of the nucleus without any barriers, which is important for how neurons communicate and function.
Methodology
The study used laser-assisted uncaging of caged calcium compounds in hippocampal neurons to investigate calcium signal propagation across the nuclear envelope.
Participant Demographics
Hippocampal neurons from newborn Sprague-Dawley rats were used.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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