Calcium homeostasis in ageing: studies on the calcium binding protein calbindin D28K.

Calbindin D28K is a neuronal calcium binding protein which may act as a buffer of neuronal calcium. Evidence suggests that disturbance of calcium homeostasis is important in neurodegeneration, possibly via changes in calbindin D28K. Immunoreactivity of calbindin D28K is compared in Alzheimer's disease and age-matched controls. The size and number of calbindin D28K positive neurons in Alzheimer's disease tissue is reduced. There is also shrinkage of the dendritic tree. Continuing work examines the function of calbindin D28K using transgenic mice.