Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute scientists have discovered a protein that regulates synaptic ion channels...

Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute scientists have discovered a protein that regulates synaptic ion channels that have been tied to bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The mechanism – a protein called Rap1 – controls L-type calcium channels, which participate in the formation of long-term memories. Previous studies have also linked alterations in these ion channels to certain psychiatric disorders.
 In the experiment the team knocked out the gene responsible for coding the enzyme Rap1, which was suspected to play a role in activating L-type calcium channels. The researchers then used live imaging techniques to monitor the release of neurotransmitters and electron microscopy to visualize L-type channels at synapses. They discovered that, without Rap1, the L-type calcium channels were more active and more abundant at synapses all the time, increasing the release of neurotransmitters. The results showed that Rap1 is responsible for suppressing L-type calcium channels, allowing them to activate only at the proper moments, possibly during long-term memory formation. The next step of this work will be to determine whether this new signaling pathway is altered in cases of mental disorders.

Source: http://www.alphagalileo.org/ViewItem.aspx?ItemId=132093&CultureCode=en