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Published on: May 25, 2011
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Spontaneous neurotransmission at evocable synapses predicts their responsiveness to action potentials
Andreas T Grasskamp1, Meida Jusyte1,2, Anthony W McCarthy1
1Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie, Berlin, Germany.
Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience
|March 27, 2023
Summary
Spontaneous neurotransmitter release predicts synaptic responsiveness to action potentials. This continuous, stimulus-independent activity utilizes overlapping molecular machinery, revealing functional interdependence between synaptic transmission modes.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
- Synaptic Physiology
Background:
- Synaptic transmission occurs via action-potential (AP) evoked and spontaneous modes.
- While AP-evoked transmission is primary, spontaneous transmission is crucial for neuronal development and plasticity.
- The relationship between spontaneous and AP-evoked transmission at individual synapses remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the functional interdependence of spontaneous and AP-evoked neurotransmission at individual synapses.
- To determine if spontaneous activity predicts synaptic responsiveness to APs.
Main Methods:
- Utilized *Drosophila* larval neuromuscular junctions (NMJs).
- Identified active synapses using the presynaptic scaffolding protein Bruchpilot (BRP).
- Quantified synaptic activity using the genetically encoded Ca2+ indicator GCaMP.
Main Results:
- Over 85% of active BRP-positive synapses responded to APs.
- The level of spontaneous activity predicted AP-evoked responsiveness at individual synapses.
- Both transmission modes shared overlapping molecular machinery and were affected by cadmium.
Conclusions:
- Spontaneous neurotransmitter release is a continuous, stimulus-independent predictor of AP-evoked synaptic responsiveness.
- Overlapping molecular machinery underlies the functional interdependence of spontaneous and evoked transmission.
- Spontaneous activity provides functional information about individual synapse excitability.
Keywords:
Drosophila melanogasteraction potential evoked synaptic transmissionactive zonephilanthotoxinspontaneous synaptic transmissionMore Related Videos
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