Journal
PHYSIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
Volume 93, Issue 3, Pages 961-992Publisher
AMER PHYSIOLOGICAL SOC
DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00010.2012
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Funding
- Institute for Basic Science [HQ 1301]
- Translational Research Center for Protein Function Control [2012-0000880]
- Basic Science Research Program [NRF-2011-0012170]
- Pioneer Research Center Program [NRF-2011-0014699]
- Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology in Korea
- National Research Foundation of Korea [2009-0083522, 2011-0014699] Funding Source: Korea Institute of Science & Technology Information (KISTI), National Science & Technology Information Service (NTIS)
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Low-voltage-activated T-type Ca2+ channels are widely expressed in various types of neurons. Once deinactivated by hyperpolarization, T-type channels are ready to be activated by a small depolarization near the resting membrane potential and, therefore, are optimal for regulating the excitability and electroresponsiveness of neurons under physiological conditions near resting states. Ca2+ influx through T-type channels engenders low-threshold Ca2+ spikes, which in turn trigger a burst of action potentials. Low-threshold burst firing has been implicated in the synchronization of the thalamocortical circuit during sleep and in absence seizures. It also has been suggested that T-type channels play an important role in pain signal transmission, based on their abundant expression in pain-processing pathways in peripheral and central neurons. In this review, we will describe studies on the role of T-type Ca2+ channels in the physiological as well as pathological generation of brain rhythms in sleep, absence epilepsy, and pain signal transmission. Recent advances in studies of T-type channels in the control of cognition will also be briefly discussed.
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