Calcitonin gene-related peptide enhances calcium current of rat dorsal root ganglion neurons and spinal excitatory synaptic transmission |
| |
| Authors: | P D Ryu G Gerber K Murase M Randic |
| |
| Affiliation: | Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Iowa State University, Ames 50011. |
| |
| Abstract: | The actions of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) were examined on Ca2+-dependent action potentials and voltage-dependent Ca2+ currents in rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons in vitro. In addition, we tested the effect of CGRP on excitatory synaptic transmission in the rat spinal dorsal horn. CGRP produced a reversible increase in the amplitude and the duration of the Ca2+ spike of DRG neurons and directly increased the voltage-dependent Ca2+ current by enhancing both the transient and the sustained components of the current. The increase in the Ca2+ current is likely to be responsible for the increase in the Ca2+ spike and facilitation of excitatory synaptic transmission. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
|
