Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

ATP and Energy Production01:23

ATP and Energy Production

1.5K
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a critical molecule that functions as the main energy carrier in cells. Structurally, ATP consists of an adenosine molecule—comprising adenine and ribose—bonded to three phosphate groups. The high-energy bonds between these phosphate groups store significant amounts of potential energy. This energy is released during hydrolysis, wherein ATP is converted to adenosine diphosphate (ADP) or adenosine monophosphate (AMP), driving a variety of essential...
1.5K
ATP Synthase: Mechanism01:48

ATP Synthase: Mechanism

16.5K
In animals, the mitochondrial F1F0 ATP synthase is the key protein that synthesizes ATP molecules through a complex catalytic mechanism. While the nuclear genome encodes the majority of ATP synthase subunits, the mitochondrial genome encodes some of the enzyme's most critical components. The formation of this multi-subunit enzyme is a complex multi-step process regulated at the level of transcription, translation, and assembly. Defects in one or more of these steps can result in decreased...
16.5K
ATP Synthase: Structure01:18

ATP Synthase: Structure

14.9K
ATP synthase or ATPase is among the most conserved proteins found in bacteria, mammals, and plants. This enzyme can catalyze a forward reaction in response to the electrochemical gradient, producing ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate. ATP synthase can also work in a reverse direction by hydrolyzing ATP and generating an electrochemical gradient. Different forms of ATP synthases have evolved special features to meet the specific demands of the cell. Based on their specific feature, ATP...
14.9K
ATP and Macromolecule Synthesis01:28

ATP and Macromolecule Synthesis

6.8K
Biological macromolecules are organic compounds, predominantly composed of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are covalently bonded with hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and other minor elements. There are four major biological macromolecule classes: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
Most macromolecules are composed of single subunits, or building blocks, called monomers. The monomers combine with each other using covalent bonds to form larger molecules known as polymers.
Conversion of...
6.8K
Active Transport01:14

Active Transport

1.9K
Active transport is a critical biological process that allows cells to move solutes against an electrochemical gradient. This process requires direct energy input and is characterized by its selectivity, saturability, and susceptibility to competitive inhibition.
Primary active transporters, like Na+, K+ and -ATPase, directly utilize ATP to move ions across the membrane. These transporters play significant roles in various physiological processes. For instance, Na+, K+ and -ATPase maintain...
1.9K
ATP Energy Storage and Release01:31

ATP Energy Storage and Release

13.8K
ATP is a highly unstable molecule. Unless quickly used to perform work, ATP spontaneously dissociates into ADP and inorganic phosphate (Pi), and the free energy released during this process is lost as heat. The energy released by ATP hydrolysis is used to perform work inside the cell and depends on a strategy called energy coupling. Cells couple the exergonic reaction of ATP hydrolysis with endergonic reactions, allowing them to proceed.
One example of energy coupling using ATP involves a...
13.8K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Activity-regulated circSamm50 modulates mitochondrial dynamics and spine structural plasticity.

Cell reports·2026
Same author

Mitochondrial Ca<sup>2+</sup> efflux controls neuronal metabolism and long-term memory across species.

Nature metabolism·2026
Same author

Neuromodulatory control of energy reserves in dopaminergic neurons.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025
Same author

Embracing Scientific Debate in Brain Metabolism.

Journal of neurochemistry·2025
Same author

Mitochondria structurally remodel near synapses to fuel the sustained energy demands of plasticity.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Neuromodulator control of energy reserves in dopaminergic neurons.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same journal

A viral ORFeome library for systems-level genetic dissection of host-pathogen interactions.

Cell·2026
Same journal

Co-option of lysosomal machinery shapes the evolution of the intracellular photosymbiosis supporting coral reefs.

Cell·2026
Same journal

LEF1 and niche factors determine T cell stemness across chronic diseases.

Cell·2026
Same journal

Recurrent patterns of TOP1-mediated neuronal genomic damage shared by major neurodegenerative disorders.

Cell·2026
Same journal

Four-dimensional molecular mapping from a spatial snapshot reveals the dynamics of hair follicle organogenesis.

Cell·2026
Same journal

Whole-cell particle-based digital twin simulations from 4D lattice light-sheet microscopy data.

Cell·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 7, 2026

A Time-Efficient Fluorescence Spectroscopy-Based Assay for Evaluating Actin Polymerization Status in Rodent and Human Brain Tissues
06:54

A Time-Efficient Fluorescence Spectroscopy-Based Assay for Evaluating Actin Polymerization Status in Rodent and Human Brain Tissues

Published on: June 3, 2021

4.6K

Activity-driven local ATP synthesis is required for synaptic function.

Vidhya Rangaraju1, Nathaniel Calloway2, Timothy A Ryan2

  • 1Rockefeller/Sloan-Kettering/Weill Cornell Tri-Institutional Training Program in Chemical Biology, New York, NY 10065, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA.

Cell
|February 18, 2014
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Brain synapses require significant energy, supplied by metabolic processes like glycolysis and mitochondrial function. Even short disruptions to activity-stimulated ATP synthesis impair crucial synaptic functions.

More Related Videos

Imaging of Intracellular ATP in Organotypic Tissue Slices of the Mouse Brain using the FRET-based Sensor ATeam1.03YEMK
11:20

Imaging of Intracellular ATP in Organotypic Tissue Slices of the Mouse Brain using the FRET-based Sensor ATeam1.03YEMK

Published on: December 19, 2019

10.4K
Preparation of Synaptoneurosomes from Mouse Cortex using a Discontinuous Percoll-Sucrose Density Gradient
08:30

Preparation of Synaptoneurosomes from Mouse Cortex using a Discontinuous Percoll-Sucrose Density Gradient

Published on: September 17, 2011

32.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 7, 2026

A Time-Efficient Fluorescence Spectroscopy-Based Assay for Evaluating Actin Polymerization Status in Rodent and Human Brain Tissues
06:54

A Time-Efficient Fluorescence Spectroscopy-Based Assay for Evaluating Actin Polymerization Status in Rodent and Human Brain Tissues

Published on: June 3, 2021

4.6K
Imaging of Intracellular ATP in Organotypic Tissue Slices of the Mouse Brain using the FRET-based Sensor ATeam1.03YEMK
11:20

Imaging of Intracellular ATP in Organotypic Tissue Slices of the Mouse Brain using the FRET-based Sensor ATeam1.03YEMK

Published on: December 19, 2019

10.4K
Preparation of Synaptoneurosomes from Mouse Cortex using a Discontinuous Percoll-Sucrose Density Gradient
08:30

Preparation of Synaptoneurosomes from Mouse Cortex using a Discontinuous Percoll-Sucrose Density Gradient

Published on: September 17, 2011

32.6K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cellular metabolism
  • Synaptic physiology

Background:

  • Cognitive function is linked to metabolic state, but the precise control mechanisms at synapses are unclear.
  • Synapses have high energy demands, yet how fuel availability and activity affect ATP levels and synaptic function remains poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between synaptic activity, ATP levels, and synaptic function.
  • To identify the metabolic sources supporting synaptic energy demands.
  • To understand how ATP availability controls presynaptic function.

Main Methods:

  • Development of a genetically encoded optical reporter for presynaptic ATP (Syn-ATP).
  • Quantitative analysis of ATP dynamics during electrical activity in synapses.
  • Investigation of the role of glycolysis and mitochondrial function in meeting metabolic demands.

Main Results:

  • Electrical activity drives significant metabolic demand at synapses, supported by glycolysis and mitochondrial function.
  • The synaptic vesicle cycle is the primary driver of activity-dependent metabolic demand.
  • Metabolically intact synapses maintain a large ATP reservoir (~10^6 ATPs per terminal) during activity.
  • Interruption of activity-stimulated ATP synthesis, even briefly, severely impairs presynaptic function.

Conclusions:

  • Synaptic ATP levels are tightly regulated by activity-driven synthesis involving glycolysis and mitochondria.
  • The synaptic vesicle cycle is a major energy consumer at the synapse.
  • Adequate ATP supply is critical for maintaining presynaptic function, despite a large basal ATP pool.