Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 23, 2026

The Analysis of Purkinje Cell Dendritic Morphology in Organotypic Slice Cultures
Published on: March 21, 2012
Delayed appearance of G-protein coupled signal transduction system in developing cerebellar Purkinje cell dendrites
H Takagi1, H Takimizu, T Yoshioka
1Department of Molecular Neurobiology, School of Human Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Japan.
Abstract:
To investigate the relation between the function of Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels and phosphoinositide turnover, we have examined the physiological and pharmacological characteristics of ionotropic and metabotropic quisqualate (QA) receptors in rat cerebellar Purkinje cells during development using the slice-patch method combined with Ca2+ imaging. The typical response to QA obtained from a rat on postnatal day (PND) 21 consisted of three components: (1) a fast inactivating inward current, (2) a slow inward current, and (3) a slow outward current. The slow inward current was abolished in Ca(2+)-free medium, while the fast inactivating inward current and the slow outward current remained unaffected. The slow outward current which appeared to be activated via a metabotropic receptor was not observed in the Purkinje cell of PND 7 rat, in which dendrites were poorly developed but its amplitude increased linearly with PND. QA caused significant increases in [Ca2+]i in the fully developed dendritic region of the Purkinje cells even in Ca(2+)-free medium, suggesting a dendritic localization of the metabotropic receptors.
Related Concept Videos
Amplifying Signals via Enzymatic Cascade
Diversity in Cell Signaling Responses
Graded and Abrupt Responses
Some signaling systems generate...
GPCR Desensitization
G-Protein Gated Ion Channels
Sensory organs,...
IP3/DAG Signaling Pathway
Calmodulin-dependent Signaling
The Ca2+-CaM complex does not have enzymatic activity by itself. Instead, the complex binds downstream target proteins, including membrane proteins or enzymes,...

