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Roles of somatic A-type K+ channels in the synaptic plasticity of hippocampal neurons

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Abstract

In the mammalian brain, information encoding and storage have been explained by revealing the cellular and molecular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity at various levels in the central nervous system, including the hippocampus and the cerebral cortices. The modulatory mechanisms of synaptic excitability that are correlated with neuronal tasks are fundamental factors for synaptic plasticity, and they are dependent on intracellular Ca2+-mediated signaling. In the present review, the A-type K+ (I A) channel, one of the voltage-dependent cation channels, is considered as a key player in the modulation of Ca2+ influx through synaptic NMDA receptors and their correlated signaling pathways. The cellular functions of I A channels indicate that they possibly play as integral parts of synaptic and somatic complexes, completing the initiation and stabilization of memory.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Jeju National University, Jeju, 690756, Republic of Korea

    Yoon-Sil Yang, Kyeong-Deok Kim, Su-Yong Eun & Sung-Cherl Jung

  2. Institute of Medical Science, Jeju National University, Jeju, 690756, Republic of Korea

    Sung-Cherl Jung

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Yang, YS., Kim, KD., Eun, SY. et al. Roles of somatic A-type K+ channels in the synaptic plasticity of hippocampal neurons. Neurosci. Bull. 30, 505–514 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12264-013-1399-7

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