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Updated: Oct 9, 2026

Vibrodissociation of Neurons from Rodent Brain Slices to Study Synaptic Transmission and Image Presynaptic Terminals
Published on: May 25, 2011
Dynamic control of presynaptic Ca(2+) inflow by fast-inactivating K(+) channels in hippocampal mossy fiber boutons
1Physiologisches Institut der Universität Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Str. 7, D-79104, Freiburg, Germany.
Abstract:
Analysis of presynaptic determinants of synaptic strength has been difficult at cortical synapses, mainly due to the lack of direct access to presynaptic elements. Here we report patch-clamp recordings from mossy fiber boutons (MFBs) in rat hippocampal slices. The presynaptic action potential is very short during low-frequency stimulation but is prolonged up to 3-fold during high-frequency stimulation. Voltage-gated K(+) channels in MFBs inactivate rapidly but recover from inactivation very slowly, suggesting that cumulative K(+) channel inactivation mediates activity-dependent spike broadening. Prolongation of the presynaptic voltage waveform leads to an increase in the number of Ca(2+) ions entering the terminal per action potential and to a consecutive potentiation of evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents at MFB-CA3 pyramidal cell synapses. Thus, inactivation of presynaptic K(+) channels contributes to the control of efficacy of a glutamatergic synapse in the cortex.
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