Protein kinase Cepsilon: function in neurons.

Protein kinase Cepsilon is expressed at higher levels in the brain compared to other tissues such as the heart and kidney, suggesting that it plays an important role in the nervous system. Several neural functions of PKCepsilon, including neurotransmitter release and ion channel regulation, have been identified using PKCepsilon knockout mice. In this review, we focus on the involvement of protein kinase Cepsilon in neurite outgrowth, presynaptic regulation, alcohol actions, ischemic preconditioning and pain.