Vesicular transmitter release from astrocytes
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Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Measuring Near Plasma Membrane and Global Intracellular Calcium Dynamics in Astrocytes
Published on: April 26, 2009
Vedrana Montana1, Erik B Malarkey1, Claudia Verderio2
1Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Center for Glial-Neuronal Interactions, University of California, Riverside, California.
Abstract:
Astrocytes can release a variety of transmitters, including glutamate and ATP, in response to stimuli that induce increases in intracellular Ca(2+) levels. This release occurs via a regulated, exocytotic pathway. As evidence of this, astrocytes express protein components of the vesicular secretory apparatus, including synaptobrevin 2, syntaxin, and SNAP-23. Additionally, astrocytes possess vesicular organelles, the essential morphological elements required for regulated Ca(2+)-dependent transmitter release. The location of specific exocytotic sites on these cells, however, remains to be unequivocally determined.
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