Calcium Signalling in the Nervous System - Hardcover

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Calcium ions play an important role in the function of excitable cells, from the triggering of impulses in nerve cells to the regulation of biochemical pathways and basic cellular functions of all cell types in the nervous system. Calcium signalling is the main coupling mechanism linking external stimuli, via the membrane, with intracellular processes. Calcium Signalling in the Nervous System provides an up–to–date account of the most fundamental aspects of calcium signal generation in the nervous system, including pathways for Ca ²⁺ influx, buffering in the cytosol, involvement of intracellular calcium stores and Ca ²⁺ extrusion. The book also gives an overview of the most important aspects of interaction of Ca ²⁺ ions with other messenger systems, the functional meaning of Ca ²⁺ ions, as well as the pharmaceutical tools used for their dissection and modulation. The role of calcium in a variety of neural cell types and implications in brain function are also discussed, including the control of gene expression, cell differentiation and programmed cell death.