Figure 1.

Hypothesized action of a calcilytic in ischemia and hypoxia: Neurons subjected to ischemic or hypoxic stress present reduced cell viability (due to the upregulation of cell death-related proteins such as caspase-3, Bax, and cytochrome C), increased ERK1/2 phosphorylation and phospholipase C (PLC)-activated-Ca²⁺ intracellular mobilization. Such events are likely mediated by the CaSR and concur with cell death (here represented by axonal demyelination and changes in cell morphology). Calcilytic treatment efficiently attenuates mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and PLC-activated pathways and restores cell viability.