title: A diffusion-activation model of CaMKII translocation waves in dendrites.
abstract: Ca2+-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is a key regulator of glutamatergic synapses and plays an essential role in many forms of synaptic plasticity. It has recently been observed that stimulating dendrites locally with a single glutamate/glycine puff induces a local translocation of CaMKII into spines that subsequently spreads in a wave-like manner towards the distal dendritic arbor. Here we present a mathematical model of the diffusion, activation and translocation of dendritic CaMKII. We show how the nonlinear dynamics of CaMKII diffusion-activation generates a propagating translocation wave, provided that the rate of activation is sufficiently fast. We also derive an explicit formula for the wave speed as a function of physiological parameters such as the diffusivity of CaMKII and the density of spines. Our model provides a quantitative framework for understanding the spread of CaMKII translocation and its possible role in heterosynaptic plasticity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0090, USA.
authors.forename: Berton A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Earnshaw
authors.forename: Paul C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Bressloff
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001692:Biological Transport; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003712:Dendrites / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D049229:Dendritic Spines / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D004058:Diffusion; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006801:Humans; D008959:Models, Neurological; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2