Calretinin Calretinin is an important component in the neurobiology of neurodegenerative diseases. This page provides detailed information about its structure, function, and role in disease processes. [1]
| Calretinin | |
|---|---|
| Protein Name | Calretinin |
| Gene | [CALB2](/genes/calb2) |
| UniProt ID | [P22676](https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P22676) |
| PDB ID | 1T5L |
| Molecular Weight | 31 kDa |
| Localization | Cytosol |
| Protein Family | EF-hand calcium-binding proteins |
Calretinin (encoded by the CALB2 gene) is a calcium-binding protein belonging to the EF-hand family of proteins. It contains 6 EF-hand motifs and has a molecular weight of approximately 31 kDa. Calretinin is primarily expressed in specific populations of GABAergic interneurons throughout the central nervous system, particularly in the cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum.
Calretinin serves as a reliable immunohistochemical marker for identifying specific interneuron subsets due to its highly restricted expression pattern. It is considered a calcium buffer with high affinity for calcium ions.
Calretinin possesses six EF-hand calcium-binding motifs:
The three-dimensional structure has been solved (PDB: 1T5L), revealing the characteristic EF-hand fold common to all calcium-binding proteins in this family.
Calretinin functions as a high-affinity calcium buffer in neurons:
Calretinin is expressed in specific interneuron populations:
Calretinin modulates synaptic transmission:
Calretinin-expressing neurons show notable resilience in Alzheimer's disease:
The relative preservation of CR+ neurons makes them of interest for understanding selective vulnerability in neurodegeneration.
Calretinin expression in Parkinson's disease:
Calretinin alterations in schizophrenia:
Calretinin has attracted attention for therapeutic development:
Calretinin is widely used in research:
The study of Calretinin Calretinin has evolved significantly over the past decades. Research in this area has revealed important insights into the underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration and continues to drive therapeutic development.
Historical context and key discoveries in this field have shaped our current understanding and will continue to guide future research directions.
Hof et al. [(1999). Calretinin-immunoreactive neurons and their fate in aging and Alzheimer's disease. J Comp Neurol](https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI). 1999. ↩︎