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Updated: Oct 10, 2025

Investigation of Synaptic Tagging/Capture and Cross-capture using Acute Hippocampal Slices from Rodents
Published on: September 4, 2015
Synaptic memory requires CaMKII
Wucheng Tao1,2, Joel Lee2, Xiumin Chen2
1Key Laboratory of Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
Abstract:
Long-term potentiation (LTP) is arguably the most compelling cellular model for learning and memory. While the mechanisms underlying the induction of LTP ('learning') are well understood, the maintenance of LTP ('memory') has remained contentious over the last 20 years. Here, we find that Ca2+-calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) contributes to synaptic transmission and is required LTP maintenance. Acute inhibition of CaMKII erases LTP and transient inhibition of CaMKII enhances subsequent LTP. These findings strongly support the role of CaMKII as a molecular storage device.
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