Regulation of neurogenesis by calcium signaling

•Cellular Ca2+ signaling regulate numerous effector functions in the developing nervous system including stem cell proliferation, migration, and gene expression.•Ca2+ signals arise from the interplay of Ca2+ release and Ca2+ influx, which generate in many cases, complex oscillations of variable frequency and amplitude.•Store-operated channels mediate many aspects of neural stem cell Ca2+ signaling including Ca2+ oscillations, gene expression, and proliferation.

Calcium (Ca2+) signaling has essential roles in the development of the nervous system from neural induction to the proliferation, migration, and differentiation of neural cells. Ca2+ signaling pathways are shaped by interactions among metabotropic signaling cascades, intracellular Ca2+ stores, ion channels, and a multitude of downstream effector proteins that activate specific genetic programs. The temporal and spatial dynamics of Ca2+ signals are widely presumed to control the highly diverse yet specific genetic programs that establish the complex structures of the adult nervous system. Progress in the last two decades has led to significant advances in our understanding of the functional architecture of Ca2+ signaling networks involved in neurogenesis. In this review, we assess the literature on the molecular and functional organization of Ca2+ signaling networks in the developing nervous system and its impact on neural induction, gene expression, proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Particular emphasis is placed on the growing evidence for the involvement of store-operated Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channels in these processes.

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