Deficits in memory and hippocampal long-term potentiation in mice with reduced calbindin D-28K expression

The influx of calcium into the postsynaptic neuron is likely to be an important event in memory formation. Among the mechanisms that nerve cells may use to alter the Lime course or size of a spike of intracellular calcium are cytosolic calcium binding or ''buffering'' proteins. To consider the role in memory formation of one of these proteins, calbindin D-28K, which is abundant in many neurons, including the CA1 pyramidal tells of the hippocampus, transgenic mice deficient in calbindin D-28K have been created. These mice show selective impairments in spatial learning paradigms and fail to maintain long-term potentiation. These results suggest a role for calbindin D28K protein in temporally extending a neuronal calcium signal, allowing the activation of calcium-dependent intracellular signaling pathways underlying memory function.