Molecular substrates mediating lanthanide-evoked neurotransmitter release in central synapses.

Calcium regulation of spontaneous and evoked neurotransmitter release in small central synapses

Independent Regulation of Basal Neurotransmitter Release Efficacy by Variable Ca2+ Influx and Bouton Size at Small Central Synapses

The efficacy of action potential evoked neurotransmitter release varies widely even among synapses supplied by the same axon, and the number of release-ready vesicles at each synapse is a major determinant of this heterogeneity. Here we identify a second, equally important, mechanism for release heterogeneity at small hippocampal synapses, the inter-synaptic variation of the exocytosis probabil...

Cerebellar Giant Synaptosomes: a Model to Study Basal and Stimulated Release of [3H]gamma-Aminobutyric Acid

Background: Neurotransmitter release is an essential link in cell communication of the nervous system. Many investigations have focused on gamma amino butyric acid (GABA)-ergic neurotransmission, because it has been implicated in the pathophysiology of several central nervous system disorders. To bypass complications related to homo- and heterosynaptic modulation and to avoid indirect interpret...

Efficient stimulus-secretion coupling at ribbon synapses requires RIM-binding protein tethering of L-type Ca2+ channels.

Fast neurotransmitter release from ribbon synapses via Ca2+-triggered exocytosis requires tight coupling of L-type Ca2+ channels to release-ready synaptic vesicles at the presynaptic active zone, which is localized at the base of the ribbon. Here, we used genetic, electrophysiological, and ultrastructural analyses to probe the architecture of ribbon synapses by perturbing the function of RIM-bi...

Septins Regulate Developmental Switching from Microdomain to Nanodomain Coupling of Ca2+ Influx to Neurotransmitter Release at a Central Synapse

Neurotransmitter release depends critically on close spatial coupling of Ca(2+) entry to synaptic vesicles at the nerve terminal; however, the molecular substrates determining their physical proximity are unknown. Using the calyx of Held synapse, where "microdomain" coupling predominates at immature stages and developmentally switches to "nanodomain" coupling, we demonstrate that deletion of th...