Alteration of calcium conductances and outward current by cAMP in neurons of limax maximus.

An important intracellular molecule, cAMP, is a biologically- active ribonucleotide present in virtually all types of cells, including nerve cells. The function of cAMP in gastropod (snail, slug) nerve cell is examined here and shown to exert several cell-specific changes in membrane ionic conductances. Our results lend support to the idea that cAMP-induced changes may underly the physiological events associated with learning and memory storage in gastropods.