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Related Concept Videos

Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism01:30

Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism

Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that play a vital role in intercellular communication and functions of the nervous system. They allow the influx of ions across the membrane once the neurotransmitter binds, allowing the subsequent transmission of electrical excitation across the neurons. Other ligand-gated ion channels, like the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor, permit anions like chloride into the cells on the binding of the GABA molecule. Their entry into the cell...
Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

Chemical synapses are specialized sites between two neurons or between a neuron and a non-neuronal cell like a muscle, glandular or sensory cell.
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

Chemical synapses are specialized sites between two neurons or between a neuron and a non-neuronal cell like a muscle, glandular or sensory cell.
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
Ligand-gated Ion Channels01:19

Ligand-gated Ion Channels

Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins with a channel for ions to pass through and a binding site for a ligand. The channel opens only when a ligand attaches to the binding site.
Three Subfamilies of Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Ligand-gated ion channels fall into three subfamilies. The 'Cys-loop' includes the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors. The second one is the 'Pore-loop' channels that include the...
Antiepileptic Drugs: Glutamate Antagonists01:14

Antiepileptic Drugs: Glutamate Antagonists

Glutamate is a fundamental neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, playing a vital role in neuronal communication and various cognitive processes. Glutamate stands as the principal excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. Its presence is crucial for the communication between neurons, underpinning essential processes such as synaptic transmission, neuronal excitability, and plasticity. These functions are vital for higher-order cognitive processes, including learning and memory. The...
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Long-term Potentiation

Long-term potentiation, or LTP, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTP is the process of synaptic strengthening that occurs over time between pre and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic strengthening of LTP works in opposition to the synaptic weakening of long-term depression (LTD) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
Hebbian LTP
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Use of Synaptic Zinc Histochemistry to Reveal Different Regions and Laminae in the Developing and Adult Brain
09:50

Use of Synaptic Zinc Histochemistry to Reveal Different Regions and Laminae in the Developing and Adult Brain

Published on: October 29, 2017

Zinc at glutamatergic synapses.

P Paoletti1, A M Vergnano, B Barbour

  • 1Laboratoire de Neurobiologie, CNRS UMR 8544, Ecole Normale Supérieure, 46 rue d'Ulm, 75005 Paris, France. paoletti@biologie.ens.fr

Neuroscience
|March 21, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Mammalian forebrain neurons release zinc, a modulator of synaptic targets like NMDA receptors. This review explores zinc

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Neurochemistry
  • Synaptic Physiology

Background:

  • Mammalian forebrain glutamatergic neurons store zinc in synaptic vesicles.
  • Released zinc can modulate synaptic targets, including glutamate receptors and transporters.
  • Specific NMDA receptor subtypes exhibit high sensitivity to extracellular zinc.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the anatomy and physiology of glutamatergic zinc-containing synapses.
  • To elucidate the molecular and cellular mechanisms of zinc's role in synaptic transmission and plasticity.
  • To address controversies and unanswered questions regarding vesicular zinc's functional significance.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on glutamatergic zinc synapses.
  • Analysis of molecular and cellular mechanisms.

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Characterizing Mammalian Zinc Transporters Using an In Vitro Zinc Transport Assay
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Characterizing Mammalian Zinc Transporters Using an In Vitro Zinc Transport Assay

Published on: June 2, 2023

Fast Micro-iontophoresis of Glutamate and GABA: A Useful Tool to Investigate Synaptic Integration
07:08

Fast Micro-iontophoresis of Glutamate and GABA: A Useful Tool to Investigate Synaptic Integration

Published on: July 31, 2013

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Use of Synaptic Zinc Histochemistry to Reveal Different Regions and Laminae in the Developing and Adult Brain
09:50

Use of Synaptic Zinc Histochemistry to Reveal Different Regions and Laminae in the Developing and Adult Brain

Published on: October 29, 2017

Characterizing Mammalian Zinc Transporters Using an In Vitro Zinc Transport Assay
07:55

Characterizing Mammalian Zinc Transporters Using an In Vitro Zinc Transport Assay

Published on: June 2, 2023

Fast Micro-iontophoresis of Glutamate and GABA: A Useful Tool to Investigate Synaptic Integration
07:08

Fast Micro-iontophoresis of Glutamate and GABA: A Useful Tool to Investigate Synaptic Integration

Published on: July 31, 2013

  • Comparison of zinc chelators CaEDTA and tricine for studying synaptic zinc dynamics.

    • Main Results:

    • Zinc's potential role as a messenger in excitatory synaptic transmission and plasticity is highlighted.
    • High-affinity zinc binding sites on NMDA receptors suggest phasic and tonic modulation.
    • Pathological conditions show altered zinc concentrations and distribution linked to glutamatergic dysfunction.

    Conclusions:

    • The functional significance of vesicular zinc remains incompletely understood.
    • Tricine is recommended over CaEDTA for studying rapid, transient synaptic zinc elevations.
    • Further research is needed to fully comprehend zinc's role in synaptic function and dysfunction.