Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2009 Oct 23.
Published in final edited form as: Curr Med Chem. 2008;15(28):2921–2932. doi: 10.2174/092986708786848703

Fig. (4). α7-nAChRs and calcium-dependent signal transduction.

Fig. (4)

Activation of α7-nAChRs by nicotine, triggers an efficient calcium-dependent signal transduction cascade. Calcium flux through upon activation of α7-nAChRs by nicotine is amplified downstream by membrane depolarization (ΔVm) and activation of VGCCs as well as by CICR from the endoplasmic reticulum via RyRs. The rise in intracellular free calcium levels results in activation of multiple calcium-dependent kinases resulting in short- and long-term changes in synaptic plasticity.