title: The diversity of calcium sensor proteins in the regulation of neuronal function.
abstract: Calcium signaling in neurons as in other cell types mediates changes in gene expression, cell growth, development, survival, and cell death. However, neuronal Ca(2+) signaling processes have become adapted to modulate the function of other important pathways including axon outgrowth and changes in synaptic strength. Ca(2+) plays a key role as the trigger for fast neurotransmitter release. The ubiquitous Ca(2+) sensor calmodulin is involved in various aspects of neuronal regulation. The mechanisms by which changes in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration in neurons can bring about such diverse responses has, however, become a topic of widespread interest that has recently focused on the roles of specialized neuronal Ca(2+) sensors. In this article, we summarize synaptotagmins in neurotransmitter release, the neuronal roles of calmodulin, and the functional significance of the NCS and the CaBP/calneuron protein families of neuronal Ca(2+) sensors.
authors.affiliation: The Physiological Laboratory, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 3BX, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Hannah V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: McCue
authors.forename: Lee P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Haynes
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Burgoyne
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D002148:Calmodulin-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D002470:Cell Survival; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D051580:Neuronal Calcium-Sensor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D015398:Signal Transduction; D050857:Synaptotagmins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002148:Calmodulin-Binding Proteins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D051580:Neuronal Calcium-Sensor Proteins; D050857:Synaptotagmins; D002118:Calcium