Hippocampal long-term potentiation increases mitochondrial calcium pump activity in rat.

45Ca2+ pump activity was measured in hippocampal homogenates after the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) of perforant path-dentate gyrus synapses in vivo. The mitochondrial poison, sodium azide, was used to separate mitochondrial from non-mitochondrial 45Ca2+ uptake. High-frequency stimulation of the perforant path input produced a selectively increased mitochondrial uptake of calcium. This increased pump activity may permit granule cells to more effectively buffer higher intracellular calcium levels associated with LTP.