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Updated: Aug 24, 2026

Focal Macropatch Recordings of Synaptic Currents from the Drosophila Larval Neuromuscular Junction
Published on: September 25, 2017
Postfusional control of quantal current shape
Christian Pawlu1, Aaron DiAntonio, Manfred Heckmann
1Physiologisches Institut, Universität Freiburg, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany.
Abstract:
Whether glutamate is released rapidly, in an all-or-none manner, or more slowly, in a regulated manner, is a matter of debate. We analyzed the time course of excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) at glutamatergic neuromuscular junctions of Drosophila and found that the decay phase of EPSCs was protracted to a variable extent. The protraction was more pronounced in evoked and spontaneous quantal EPSCs than in action potential-evoked multiquantal EPSCs; reduced in quantal EPSCs from endophilin null mutants, which maintain release via kiss-and-run; and dependent on synaptotagmin isoform, calcium, and protein phosphorylation. Our data indicate that glutamate is released from individual synaptic vesicles for milliseconds through a fusion pore. Quantal glutamate discharge time course depends on presynaptic calcium inflow and the molecular composition of the release machinery.
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