PKC and CaMKII dependent synaptic potentiation in cultured cerebral neurons

We have reported that the long-lasting potentiation of spontaneous excitato ry postsynaptic currents (SEPSCs) was induced by a Mg2+-free treatment in c ultured chick cerebral neurons and a factor(s) extracellularly released dur ing the treatment could induce the potentiation by itself. In this paper, p rotein kinase C (PKC) and calcium/ calmodulin-dependent protein kinase type II (CaMKII) but not protein kinase A (PKA) were reported to contribute to the potentiation mechanism during a step between the activation of the N-me thyl-D-aspartate receptors by the Mg2+-free treatment and the secretion of the protein factor(s). (C) 2001 Elsevier Science BY. All rights reserved.