Postsynaptic induction of nicotine facilitated LTP through intracellular Ca²⁺ regulation.

<p>Intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration, [Ca²⁺]_i, was measured in granule cell dendrites as OG1 relative fluorescence, ΔF/F₀. Choline 10 mM was applied for 100 seconds just before a 10-pulse (100 Hz) mossy fibre burst, while holding the granule cell at –40 mV. <b>(A)</b> The sequence of pseudocolour images show higher Ca²⁺ increase in a granule cell dendritic ending when choline is perfused than in control recordings. <b>(B)</b> Time course of ΔF/F₀ in recordings obtained in control and following choline perfusion (<i>left</i>) and relative EPSC changes (taken from <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0064828#pone-0064828-g002" target="_blank">Fig. 2</a>) as a function of maximum ΔF/F₀ during bursts of different duration (<i>right</i>). Choline moves the point (mean±SEM, n = 5) corresponding to the 10-pulse burst from LTD to LTP (arrow).