Dendritic calcium signaling in cerebellar Purkinje cell

The Purkinje cells in the cerebellum are unique neurons that generate local and global Ca2+ signals in response to two types of excitatory inputs, parallel fiber and climbing fiber, respectively. The spatiotemporal distribution and interaction of these synaptic inputs produce complex patterns of Ca2+ dynamics in the Purkinje cell dendrites. The Ca2+ signals originate from Ca2+ influx through voltage-gated Ca2+ channels and Ca2+ release from intracellular stores that are mediated by the metabotropic glutamate receptor signaling pathway. These Ca2+ signals are essential for the induction of various forms of synaptic plasticity and for controlling the input-output relationship of Purkinje cells. In this article we review Ca2+ signaling in Purkinje cell dendrites.