Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 2, 2026

A High-throughput Calcium-flux Assay to Study NMDA-receptors with Sensitivity to Glycine/D-serine and Glutamate
04:48

A High-throughput Calcium-flux Assay to Study NMDA-receptors with Sensitivity to Glycine/D-serine and Glutamate

Published on: July 10, 2018

Up-regulation of dendritic Kv4.2 mRNA by activation of the NMDA receptor

Anna Jo1, Hyong Kyu Kim

  • 1Department of Medicine and Microbiology, College of Medicine, Signaling Disorder Research Center, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Republic of Korea.

Neuroscience Letters
|April 23, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Synaptic activity regulates Kv4.2 mRNA transport to dendrites via NMDA receptors and calcium. This process is crucial for maintaining Kv4.2 protein levels at the synapse.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Kv4.2 channels are located in dendrites, suggesting local protein synthesis.
  • On-site synthesis implies dendritic transport of Kv4.2 mRNA is vital for synaptic function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms governing the dendritic transport of Kv4.2 mRNA.
  • To investigate how synaptic activity influences Kv4.2 mRNA localization in neurons.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized the GFP-MS2 reporting system to track Kv4.2 mRNA.
  • Applied brief depolarization and measured mRNA levels in cell bodies and dendrites.
  • Investigated the role of NMDA receptors and Ca(2+) in mRNA transport.

Main Results:

  • Depolarization increased Kv4.2 mRNA in both cell bodies and dendrites.
  • Dendritic mRNA increase was transcription- and translation-independent.
  • NMDA receptor and Ca(2+) signaling mediated depolarization-induced dendritic Kv4.2 mRNA increases.

Conclusions:

  • Kv4.2 mRNA levels are dynamically regulated by synaptic activity.
  • This regulation is dependent on NMDA receptor and Ca(2+) signaling pathways.
  • Activity-dependent dendritic transport of Kv4.2 mRNA may ensure Kv4.2 protein homeostasis at dendritic surfaces.

More Related Videos

Horizontal Hippocampal Slices of the Mouse Brain08:59

Horizontal Hippocampal Slices of the Mouse Brain

Published on: September 22, 2020

Profiling Voltage-gated Potassium Channel mRNA Expression in Nigral Neurons using Single-cell RT-PCR Techniques07:31

Profiling Voltage-gated Potassium Channel mRNA Expression in Nigral Neurons using Single-cell RT-PCR Techniques

Published on: September 27, 2011

Related Concept Videos

Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism01:30

Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism

Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that play a vital role in intercellular communication and functions of the nervous system. They allow the influx of ions across the membrane once the neurotransmitter binds, allowing the subsequent transmission of electrical excitation across the neurons. Other ligand-gated ion channels, like the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor, permit anions like chloride into the cells on the binding of the GABA molecule. Their entry into the cell...
Long-term Potentiation01:25

Long-term Potentiation

Long-term potentiation, or LTP, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTP is the process of synaptic strengthening that occurs over time between pre and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic strengthening of LTP works in opposition to the synaptic weakening of long-term depression (LTD) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
Hebbian LTP
LTP can occur when presynaptic neurons...
Long-term Potentiation01:35

Long-term Potentiation

Long-term potentiation, or LTP, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTP is the process of synaptic strengthening that occurs over time between pre- and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic strengthening of LTP works in opposition to the synaptic weakening of long-term depression (LTD) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.