| Title: | Ca2+ -calmodulin feedback mediates sensory adaptation and inhibits pheromone-sensitive ion channels in the vomeronasal organ |
| Author(s): | Spehr J; Hagendorf S; Weiss J; Spehr M; Leinders-Zufall T; Zufall F; |
| Address: | "Department of Cellular Physiology and Emmy Noether Research Group, Ruhr University of Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany" |
| DOI: | 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5416-08.2009 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1529-2401 (Electronic) 0270-6474 (Print) 0270-6474 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "The mammalian vomeronasal organ (VNO) mediates the regulation of social behaviors by complex chemical signals. These cues trigger transient elevations of intracellular Ca(2+) in vomeronasal sensory neurons (VSNs), but the functional role of such Ca(2+) elevations is unknown. We show that stimulus-induced Ca(2+) entry plays an essential role as a negative feedback regulator of VSN sensitivity. Electrophysiological VSN responses undergo effective sensory adaptation that requires the influx of Ca(2+) and is mediated by calmodulin (CaM). Removal of the Ca(2+)-CaM feedback eliminates this form of adaptation. A key target of this feedback module is the pheromone-sensitive TRPC2-dependent cation channel of VSNs, as its activation is strongly inhibited by Ca(2+)-CaM. Our results reveal a previously unrecognized CaM-signaling pathway that endows the VSNs with a mechanism for adjusting gain and sensitivity of chemosensory signaling in the VNO" |
| Keywords: | "Adaptation, Physiological/*physiology Animals Calcium/metabolism Calcium Signaling/*physiology Calmodulin/*metabolism Feedback/physiology Female Ion Channels/*metabolism Male Membrane Potentials/physiology Mice Mice, Inbred C57BL Organ Culture Techniques;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineSpehr, Jennifer Hagendorf, Silke Weiss, Jan Spehr, Marc Leinders-Zufall, Trese Zufall, Frank eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2009/02/21 J Neurosci. 2009 Feb 18; 29(7):2125-35. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5416-08.2009" |
