Facilitation at single synapses probed with optical quantal analysis

Oertner, T. G., Sabatini, B. L., Nimchinsky, E. A., Svoboda, K. (July 2002) Facilitation at single synapses probed with optical quantal analysis. Nature Neuroscience, 5 (7). pp. 657-664. ISSN 1097-6256

URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12055631
DOI: 10.1038/nn867

Abstract

Many synapses can change their strength rapidly in a use-dependent manner, but the mechanisms of such short-term plasticity remain unknown. To understand these mechanisms, measurements of neurotransmitter release at single synapses are required. We probed transmitter release by imaging transient increases in [Ca2+] mediated by synaptic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) in individual dendritic spines of CA1 pyramidal neurons in rat brain slices, enabling quantal analysis at single synapses. We found that changes in release probability, produced by paired-pulse facilitation (PPF) or by manipulation of presynaptic adenosine receptors, were associated with changes in glutamate concentration in the synaptic cleft, indicating that single synapses can release a variable amount of glutamate per action potential. The relationship between release probability and response size is consistent with a binomial model of vesicle release with several (>5) independent release sites per active zone, suggesting that multivesicular release contributes to facilitation at these synapses.

Item Type: Paper
Subjects: Investigative techniques and equipment > imaging
organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > sub-cellular tissues: types and functions > synapse
CSHL Authors:
Communities: CSHL labs > Svoboda lab
Depositing User: Matt Covey
Date: July 2002
Date Deposited: 08 Jan 2014 15:07
Last Modified: 08 Jan 2014 15:07
Related URLs:
URI: https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/28760

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