title: Suppression of programmed neuronal death by sustained elevation of cytoplasmic calcium.
abstract: Chronic depolarization greatly increases the survival of many types of neurons in culture. In at least some cases this enhancement of survival consists of the suppression of programmed cell death, a type of death occurring in developing neurons deprived of sufficient neurotrophic factor support. Available evidence suggests that the effect of depolarization on survival is mediated by a sustained rise of cytoplasmic free Ca2+, apparently caused by influx of Ca2+ through voltage-gated channels. This review discusses what is known about the mechanism by which prolonged depolarization and increased intracellular Ca2+ promote survival.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology*; D016923:Cell Death; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium