Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026
Vibrodissociation of Neurons from Rodent Brain Slices to Study Synaptic Transmission and Image Presynaptic Terminals
Published on: May 25, 2011
Asynchronous transmitter release: control of exocytosis and endocytosis at the salamander rod synapse
1Department of Pharmacological and Physiological Sciences, University of Chicago, IL 60637, USA. eas@hearts.bsd.uchicago.edu
Abstract:
1. We have studied exocytosis and endocytosis in the synaptic terminal of salamander rods using a combination of Ca2+ imaging, capacitance measurement and the photolysis of Ca2+ buffers. 2. The average cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration at the dark resting potential was 2-4 microM. 3. An average cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration of 2-4 microM maintained a high rate of continuous exocytosis and endocytosis. 4. Changes in the rate of exocytosis were followed in less than 0.7 s by compensatory changes in the rate of endocytosis. 5. Vesicle cycling in the rod synapse is specialized for graded transmission and differs from that previously described for synapses that release synchronized bursts of transmitter.
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