The endoplasmic reticulum as an integrator of multiple dendritic events

Dendrites are integrating elements that receive numerous subsets of heterogeneous synaptic inputs, which generate temporally and spatially distinct changes in membrane potential and intracellular Ca2+ levels in local domains. The ubiquitously distributed endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in dendrites is luminally connected to the bulk ER in the soma, constituting a huge interconnected intracellular network that allows rapid Ca2+ diffusion and equilibration. The ER is an excitable organelle that can elicit or terminate cytosolic Ca2+ signals in local or global domains. The absolute level or changes in the Ca2+ concentration in the ER lumen are also very important for the synthesis and maturation of proteins, regulation of gene expression, mitochondrial functions, neuronal excitability, and synaptic plasticity. Through the connected lumen of the ER, information from multiple dendritic events in neurons appears to be delivered into the bulk ER in the soma. Therefore, the ER network in neurons is emerging as a conveyor and integrator of signals. In this article, we will discuss the various roles of the ER and the functional and structural organization of the ER network in neurons.