Anti-ganglioside antibodies alter presynaptic release and calcium influx

Can presynaptic depolarization release transmitter without calcium influx?

Recent experimental evidence suggesting that presynaptic depolarization can evoke transmitter release without calcium influx has been re-examined. The presynaptic terminal of the squid giant synapse can be depolarized by variable amounts while recording presynaptic calcium current under voltage clamp and postsynaptic responses. Small depolarizations open few calcium channels with large single c...

Relationship between transmitter release and presynaptic calcium influx when calcium enters through discrete channels.

We have used a three-dimensional diffusion model of calcium entering the presynaptic nerve terminal through discrete channels to simulate experiments relating transmitter release to presynaptic calcium current. The relationship will be less than linear, or will curve downward, if calcium channels are well separated. It will resemble a power-law function with exponent less than the cooperativity...

Detection of Anti-Ganglioside Antibodies in Guillain-Barre Syndrome

Influx of calcium, strontium, and barium in presynaptic nerve endings

Depolarization-induced (potassium-stimulated) influx of 45Ca, 85Sr, and 133Ba was measured in synaptosomes prepared from rat brain. There are two phases of divalent cation entry, "fast" and "slow;" each phase is mediated by channels with distinctive characteristics. The fast channels inactivate (within 1 s) and are blocked by low concentrations (less than 1 micro M) of La. The slow channels do ...

Homeostatic plasticity of neurotransmitter release probability is determined by presynaptic calcium influx.

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