Oligodendrocytes, the myelinating glia of the central nervous system, possess P/Q-type voltage-gated calcium channels, but their function has not previously been characterized. Using a combination of genetic manipulations, live imaging, and electrophysiology, we determined that P/Q-type channels are important for normal myelin sheath length and calcium signaling during development. These findings provide new insight into the role of P/Q-type calcium channels in regulating OLC development and myelination and raise questions about the role of myelination in human disorders associated with these channels.
