Critical role of TRPC6 channels in the formation of excitatory synapses
Jian Zhou1, Wanlu Du, Kechun Zhou
1Laboratory of Neural Signal Transduction, Institute of Neuroscience, Shanghai Institutes of Biological Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Shanghai 200031, China.
Abstract:
The transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channels are Ca2+-permeable, nonselective cation channels with different biological functions, but their roles in brain are largely unknown. Here we report that TRPC6 was localized to excitatory synapses and promoted their formation via a CaMKIV-CREB-dependent pathway. TRPC6 transgenic mice showed enhancement in spine formation, and spatial learning and memory in Morris water maze. These results reveal a previously unknown role of TRPC6 in synaptic and behavioral plasticity.
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