Synaptic vesicle recycling at the calyx of Held

Efficient endocytosis is crucial for maintaining synaptic transmission because of its role in retrieving constituent membrane and associated proteins. In the past three decades three modes of endocytosis have been proposed involving the central nervous system: clathrin-mediated endocytosis, kiss-and-run endocytosis and bulk endocytosis. These forms of endocytosis can be induced under different conditions, but their detailed molecular mechanisms and functions are largely unknown. Here, we review the existence and initiation of all three modes of endocytosis at a giant glutamatergic synapse, the calyx of Held. The possibility of direct electrophysiology recording in this synapse allows for accurate tracking of exocytosis and endocytosis via capacitance measurements. Future aims will be focused on identifying the molecules that undergo the different mechanisms of endocytosis and the conditions under which different forms of endocytosis predominate.