Complexins facilitate neurotransmitter release at excitatory and inhibitory synapses in mammalian central nervous
Mingshan Xue1, Alicja Stradomska, Hongmei Chen
1Departments of Neuroscience and Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Abstract:
Complexins (Cplxs) are key regulators of synaptic exocytosis, but whether they act as facilitators or inhibitors is currently being disputed controversially. We show that genetic deletion of all Cplxs expressed in the mouse brain causes a reduction in Ca(2+)-triggered and spontaneous neurotransmitter release at both excitatory and inhibitory synapses. Our results demonstrate that at mammalian central nervous system synapses, Cplxs facilitate neurotransmitter release and do not simply act as inhibitory clamps of the synaptic vesicle fusion machinery.
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