title: Models of astrocytic Ca dynamics and epilepsy.
abstract: Neurons have been the focus of neuroscience research. Only recently, however, astrocytes, a subset of glial cells, have been on the neurobiology "radar" owing to their Ca(2+) excitability, which allows them to signal to other astrocytes and neurons. This review summarizes the models for studying astrocytic Ca(2+) dynamics and the consequential Ca(2+)- dependent glutamate release, which plays a role in astrocytic-neuronal signaling and have been implicated in epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Center for Glial Biology in Medicine, Atomic Force Microscopy & Nanotechnology Laboratories, Civitan International Research Center, Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294.
authors.forename: Reno C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Parpura