Dendritic calcium signaling in cerebellar Purkinje cell

The Purkinje cells in the cerebellum are unique neurons that generate local and global Ca(2+) signals in response to two types of excitatory inputs, parallel fiber and climbing fiber, respectively. The spatiotemporal distribution and interaction of these synaptic inputs produce complex patterns of Ca(2+) dynamics in the Purkinje cell dendrites. The Ca(2+) signals originate from Ca(2+) influx through voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels and Ca(2+) release from intracellular stores that are mediated by the metabotropic glutamate receptor signaling pathway. These Ca(2+) signals are essential for the induction of various forms of synaptic plasticity and for controlling the input-output relationship of Purkinje cells. In this article we review Ca(2+) signaling in Purkinje cell dendrites.