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Fusion of Secretory Vesicles with the Plasma Membrane

Fusion of Secretory Vesicles with the Plasma Membrane

Proteins and neurotransmitters in secretory vesicles can be released from a cell upon vesicle docking, priming, and fusion with the plasma membrane. Vesicles are docked and primed in preparation for the quick exocytosis of their contents in response to a stimulus. The fusion process is mainly carried out by a SNAP Receptor or SNARE complex, consisting of synaptobrevin, syntaxin-1, and SNAP-25.
In 1993, Jim Rothman proposed that the antiparallel pairing of vesicular and transmembrane SNAREs, or...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 28, 2026

An Optical Assay for Synaptic Vesicle Recycling in Cultured Neurons Overexpressing Presynaptic Proteins

An Optical Assay for Synaptic Vesicle Recycling in Cultured Neurons Overexpressing Presynaptic Proteins

Published on: June 26, 2018

Synaptic ribbons: machines for priming vesicle release?

Ilaria Pelassa¹, Leon Lagnado

¹MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK.

Current Biology : CB

|October 15, 2011

Summary

Synaptic ribbons, crucial for sensory synapses, were found to prime vesicles for fusion. Light-induced disruption revealed this key role in synaptic vesicle release.

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cell Biology
Synaptic Transmission

Background:

Synaptic ribbons are specialized organelles in sensory synapses.
Their precise function in synaptic vesicle regulation remains largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

To elucidate the functional role of synaptic ribbons in synaptic vesicle dynamics.
To investigate the involvement of the ribbon complex in vesicle priming.

Main Methods:

Utilized optogenetic tools for acute disruption of the synaptic ribbon complex.
Investigated the impact of ribbon disruption on synaptic vesicle priming and fusion.

Main Results:

Demonstrated that synaptic ribbons play a critical role in priming synaptic vesicles.

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Measuring Synaptic Vesicle Endocytosis in Cultured Hippocampal Neurons

Measuring Synaptic Vesicle Endocytosis in Cultured Hippocampal Neurons

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An Optical Assay for Synaptic Vesicle Recycling in Cultured Neurons Overexpressing Presynaptic Proteins

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Published on: June 26, 2018

Live Imaging of Synaptic Vesicle Recycling in the Neuromuscular Junction of Dissected Larval Zebrafish

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Measuring Synaptic Vesicle Endocytosis in Cultured Hippocampal Neurons

Measuring Synaptic Vesicle Endocytosis in Cultured Hippocampal Neurons

Published on: September 4, 2017

Showed that disruption of the ribbon complex impairs vesicle priming at the active zone.

Conclusions:

Synaptic ribbons are essential for efficient synaptic vesicle priming.
This finding sheds light on the mechanisms of neurotransmitter release in sensory systems.