Protracted elevation in intracellular calcium caused by the activation of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor is the main cause of glutamate excitotoxic injury in stroke. However, upon excitotoxic injury, despite the presence of calcium entry antagonists, calcium unexpectedly continues to enter the neuron, causing extended neuronal depolarization and culminating in neuronal death. This phenomenon...

in this study, the possible involvement of l-type voltage-operated calcium channels in the vasorelaxant effect of the flavonoid quercetin was investigated, using the isolated aortic rings from normal male rats. addition of quercetin (0.1 µm-1 mm) caused a significant dose-dependent relaxation of noradrenaline (na)- and kcl-preconstricted rings and nifedipine attenuated this response, especially...

We present evidence that direct activation of neuronal second messenger pathways in PC12 cells by opening voltage-dependent calcium channels mimics cell adhesion molecule (CAM)-induced differentiation of these cells. PC12 cells were cultured on monolayers of control 3T3 cells or 3T3 cells expressing transfected N-cadherin in the presence of KCl or a calcium channel agonist Bay K 8644. Both pota...