Of the many signaling pathways found within neurons, calcium signaling is perhaps the most ubiquitous and versatile. Calcium influx through L-type voltage-gated calcium channels (L-VGCCs) is involved in numerous aspects of neuronal function: activation and regulation of gene transcription, synaptic plasticity, and regulation of neuronal excitability are all modulated by calcium. Because many calcium-related subcellular functions are implicated in the formation and storage of long-term memory, this writer investigated the role of an L-VGCC, CaV1.2, in hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. Utilizing the Cre/loxP gene-targeting system, the CaV1.2 L-VGCC isoform was conditionally deleted in the forebrain of mice. This extensive deletion was confirmed by RT-PCR and Immunoblotting. To test for spatial learning and memory, a series of Morris water maze experiments were performed. Knockout mice showed no deficits in short-term (24-hr) memory trials; however, on a 30-day memory probe, knockout mice performed significantly more poorly than their littermate controls. These results indicate the importance of forebrainspecific CaV1.2 for long-term spatial memory.
","abstract_html":"<p>Of the many signaling pathways found within neurons, calcium signaling is perhaps the most ubiquitous and versatile. Calcium influx through L-type voltage-gated calcium channels (L-VGCCs) is involved in numerous aspects of neuronal function: activation and regulation of gene transcription, synaptic plasticity, and regulation of neuronal excitability are all modulated by calcium. Because many calcium-related subcellular functions are implicated in the formation and storage of long-term memory, this writer investigated the role of an L-VGCC, CaV1.2, in hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. Utilizing the Cre/loxP gene-targeting system, the CaV1.2 L-VGCC isoform was conditionally deleted in the forebrain of mice. This extensive deletion was confirmed by RT-PCR and Immunoblotting. To test for spatial learning and memory, a series of Morris water maze experiments were performed. Knockout mice showed no deficits in short-term (24-hr) memory trials; however, on a 30-day memory probe, knockout mice performed significantly more poorly than their littermate controls. These results indicate the importance of forebrainspecific CaV1.2 for long-term spatial memory.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["White, Jessica Ann"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":"Biology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["James L. VandenBosch, PhD, Chair","Geoffrey G. Murphy, PhD, Project Supervisor","Tamara Greco, PhD, Member"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2006,"date_issued":"2006-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2006-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:24Z","subjects":["Memory physiological aspects","Learning physiological aspects","Biology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/47","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["James L. VandenBosch, PhD, Chair","Geoffrey G. Murphy, PhD, Project Supervisor","Tamara Greco, PhD, Member"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["White, Jessica Ann"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Biology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Memory physiological aspects","Learning physiological aspects","Biology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/47"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Of the many signaling pathways found within neurons, calcium signaling is perhaps the most ubiquitous and versatile. Calcium influx through L-type voltage-gated calcium channels (L-VGCCs) is involved in numerous aspects of neuronal function: activation and regulation of gene transcription, synaptic plasticity, and regulation of neuronal excitability are all modulated by calcium. Because many calcium-related subcellular functions are implicated in the formation and storage of long-term memory, this writer investigated the role of an L-VGCC, CaV1.2, in hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. Utilizing the Cre/loxP gene-targeting system, the CaV1.2 L-VGCC isoform was conditionally deleted in the forebrain of mice. This extensive deletion was confirmed by RT-PCR and Immunoblotting. To test for spatial learning and memory, a series of Morris water maze experiments were performed. Knockout mice showed no deficits in short-term (24-hr) memory trials; however, on a 30-day memory probe, knockout mice performed significantly more poorly than their littermate controls. These results indicate the importance of forebrainspecific CaV1.2 for long-term spatial memory.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Learning and cemory in the cav1.2 knockout mouse"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["James L. VandenBosch, PhD, Chair","Geoffrey G. Murphy, PhD, Project Supervisor","Tamara Greco, PhD, Member"],"dc:creator":["White, Jessica Ann"],"dc:description.abstract":["Of the many signaling pathways found within neurons, calcium signaling is perhaps the most ubiquitous and versatile. Calcium influx through L-type voltage-gated calcium channels (L-VGCCs) is involved in numerous aspects of neuronal function: activation and regulation of gene transcription, synaptic plasticity, and regulation of neuronal excitability are all modulated by calcium. Because many calcium-related subcellular functions are implicated in the formation and storage of long-term memory, this writer investigated the role of an L-VGCC, CaV1.2, in hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. Utilizing the Cre/loxP gene-targeting system, the CaV1.2 L-VGCC isoform was conditionally deleted in the forebrain of mice. This extensive deletion was confirmed by RT-PCR and Immunoblotting. To test for spatial learning and memory, a series of Morris water maze experiments were performed. Knockout mice showed no deficits in short-term (24-hr) memory trials; however, on a 30-day memory probe, knockout mice performed significantly more poorly than their littermate controls. These results indicate the importance of forebrainspecific CaV1.2 for long-term spatial memory.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/47"],"dc:subject":["Memory physiological aspects","Learning physiological aspects","Biology"],"dc:title":["Learning and cemory in the cav1.2 knockout mouse"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Biology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:24Z"}