G protein-coupled receptors control NMDARs and metaplasticity in the hippocampus

摘要

Long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) are the major forms of functional synaptic plasticity observed at CA1 synapses of the hippocampus. The balance between LTP and LTD or "metaplasticity" is controlled by G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) whose signal pathways target the N-methyl-D-asparate (NMDA) subtype of excitatory glutamate receptor. We discuss the protein kinase signal cascades stimulated by G alpha q and G alpha s coupled GPCRs and describe how control of NMDAR activity shifts the threshold for the induction of LTP. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.