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Updated: Aug 23, 2026

The Neuromuscular Junction: Measuring Synapse Size, Fragmentation and Changes in Synaptic Protein Density Using Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy
Published on: December 26, 2014
Glial modulation of synaptic transmission at the neuromuscular junction
Aurore Colomar1, Richard Robitaille1
1Centre de Recherche en Sciences Neurologiques, Département de Physiologie, Université de Montréal, Pavillon Paul-G Desmarais, 2960 Chemin de la Tour, PO-Box 6128, Poste Centre-Ville H3C 3J7 Montreal, QC, Canada.
Abstract:
The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a cholinergic synapse that controls muscle contraction. Glial cells, called perisynaptic Schwann cells, surround nerve terminals at the NMJ. Transmitter release induced by repetitive nerve stimulation, elicit a frequency-dependent activation of G-protein-coupled receptors on perisynaptic Schwann cells and the release of calcium from internal stores. In return, perisynaptic Schwann cells modulate synaptic activity during and following high-frequency stimulation through short-term plasticity. In the present review, we discuss evidence of glial involvement in the short-term plasticity at the NMJ and the potential impact of such modulation on synaptic efficacy.
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