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Developmental refinement of vesicle cycling at Schaffer collateral synapses
Tobias Rose1, Philipp Schoenenberger, Karel Jezek
1Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, CH-4058 Basel, Switzerland. trose@neuro.mpg.de
Neuron
|March 26, 2013
Summary
Synaptic vesicle pools mature during development, with mature synapses releasing more vesicles and recycling them faster than immature ones. This refinement is crucial for proper brain function.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
- Synaptic Plasticity
Background:
- Synapses contain a 'resting pool' of synaptic vesicles unresponsive to evoked release.
- Developmental changes in synaptic vesicle pools are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate developmental changes in synaptic vesicle pool partitioning and cycling.
- To compare vesicle dynamics in cultured hippocampal slices versus dissociated neurons.
Main Methods:
- Utilized optical measurements of vesicular pH.
- Employed two-photon imaging of a genetically encoded two-color release sensor (ratio-sypHy).
- Performed calibrated measurements at individual Schaffer collateral boutons.
Main Results:
- Mature boutons released a larger fraction of vesicles and exhibited 7-fold higher retrieval rates than immature boutons.
- Saturating stimulation mobilized nearly all vesicles in mature synapses.
- Chronic depolarization induced resting pool formation and reduced evoked release.
Conclusions:
- Synapses in the CA1 region undergo significant refinement of vesicle use during early postnatal development.
- This developmental refinement is not replicated in dissociated neuronal cultures.
- Vesicle pool dynamics are critical for synaptic function and plasticity.
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