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Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Vibrodissociation of Neurons from Rodent Brain Slices to Study Synaptic Transmission and Image Presynaptic Terminals
Published on: May 25, 2011
BDNF-Induced potentiation of spontaneous twitching in innervated myocytes requires calcium release from intracellular
R J Kleiman1, N Tian, D Krizaj
1Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143-0723, USA.
Abstract:
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) can potentiate synaptic release at newly developed frog neuromuscular junctions. Although this potentiation depends on extracellular Ca(2+) and reflects changes in acetylcholine release, little is known about the intracellular transduction or calcium signaling pathways. We have developed a video assay for neurotrophin-induced potentiation of myocyte twitching as a measure of potentiation of synaptic activity. We use this assay to show that BDNF-induced synaptic potentiation is not blocked by cadmium, indicating that Ca(2+) influx through voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels is not required. TrkB autophosphorylation is not blocked in Ca(2+)-free conditions, indicating that TrkB activity is not Ca(2+) dependent. Additionally, an inhibitor of phospholipase C interferes with BDNF-induced potentiation. These results suggest that activation of the TrkB receptor activates phospholipase C to initiate intracellular Ca(2+) release from stores which subsequently potentiates transmitter release.
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