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Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Fluorescent Calcium Imaging and Subsequent In Situ Hybridization for Neuronal Precursor Characterization in Xenopus laevis
Published on: February 18, 2020
Fast action of neuroactive steroids on plasma membrane calcium pump in PC12 cells
Ludmila Zylinska1, Iwona Kowalska, Anna Kozaczuk
1Department of Molecular Neurochemistry, Medical University, Lodz, Poland. luska@csk.umed.lodz.pl
Abstract:
Calcium ions are essential to proper neurotransmission. Impairment in cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration and Ca(2+) signaling disturbs neuronal activity, leading to pathological consequences. In cells, a high-affinity plasma membrane calcium pump (PMCA) keeps free Ca(2+) in the nanomolar range. Among four genes encoding the enzyme, PMCA2 and 3 are primary in excitable cells. To elucidate the relationship between PMCAs' composition and susceptibility for neurosteroid regulation, we obtained PC12 cells with suppressed neuron-specific isoforms and analyzed the effect of selected steroids on Ca(2+) uptake. Our results indicate that hormones affected Ca(2+) transport activity and that this effect depended on both PMCA isoform composition and steroid structure.
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