It takes T to tango.
Of three recently cloned T-type voltage-gated calcium channels, alpha(1g) is most likely responsible for burst firing in thalamic relay cells. These neurons burst during various thalamocortical oscillations including absence seizures. In this issue of Neuron, Kim et al. inactivated alpha(1g), and resultant mice were deficient in relay cell bursting and resistant to GABA(B) receptor-dependent absence seizures, suggesting roles for alpha(1g) and relay cell bursting in absences.
Sohal
V S
VS
Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 94305, Stanford, CA, USA.
Huguenard
J R
JR
D000818:Animals; D020747:Calcium Channels, T-Type / Q000502:physiology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004832:Epilepsy, Absence / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D018080:Receptors, GABA-B / Q000502:physiology; D012640:Seizures / Q000503:physiopathology; D013788:Thalamus / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology
D020747:Calcium Channels, T-Type; D018080:Receptors, GABA-B