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Published on: September 16, 2014
Molecular substrates mediating lanthanide-evoked neurotransmitter release in central synapses
ChiHye Chung1, Ferenc Deák, Ege T Kavalali
1Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9111, USA.
Abstract:
Noncanonical secretagogues such as hypertonicity or alpha-latrotoxin have been extremely informative in studying neurotransmission. Lanthanum and lanthanides can also trigger neurotransmitter release through an unknown mechanism. Here, we studied the effect of lanthanides on neurotransmission in hippocampal cultures. Application of 2 mM La3+ caused rapid and robust neurotransmitter release within seconds. In addition, transient application of La3+ uncovered a sustained facilitation of miniature neurotransmission. The response to La3+ was detectable at 2 microM and increased in a concentration-dependent manner
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