Making time and space for calcium control of neuron activity

Calcium directly controls or indirectly regulates numerous functions that are critical for neuronal network activity. Intra-cellular calcium concentration is tightly regulated by numerous molecular mechanisms because spatial domains and temporal dynamics (not just peak amplitude) are critical for calcium control of synaptic plasticity and ion channel activation, which in turn determine neuron spiking activity. The computational models investigating calcium control are valuable because experiments achieving high spatial and temporal resolution simultaneously are technically unfeasible. Simulations of cal-cium nanodomains reveal that specific calcium sources can couple to specific calcium targets, providing a mechanism to determine the direction of synaptic plasticity. Cooperativity of calcium domains opposes specificity, suggesting that the dendritic branch might be the preferred computational unit of the neuron.

Automated summary

Calcium directly or indirectly controls various functions critical for neuronal activity. The tight regulation of intracellular calcium concentration is important for synaptic plasticity and ion channel activation, which determine neuron firing. Computational models are valuable for studying calcium control since experiments with high spatial and temporal resolution are technically challenging. Simulations reveal that specific calcium sources can couple to specific targets, providing a mechanism for determining synaptic plasticity direction. The cohesiveness of calcium domains opposes specificity, suggesting dendritic branches as the preferred computational unit of neurons.