Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 21, 2026

Historical View and Physiology Demonstration at the NMJ of the Crayfish Opener Muscle
Published on: November 9, 2009
Involvement of pre- and postsynaptic mechanisms in posttetanic potentiation at Aplysia synapses
J X Bao1, E R Kandel, R D Hawkins
1Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
Abstract:
Posttetanic potentiation (PTP) is a common form of short-term synaptic plasticity that is generally thought to be entirely presynaptic. Consistent with that idea, PTP of evoked excitatory postsynaptic potentials at Aplysia sensory-motor neuron synapses in cell culture was reduced by presynaptic injection of a slow calcium chelator and was accompanied by an increase in the frequency but not the amplitude of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic potentials. However, PTP was also reduced by postsynaptic injection of a rapid calcium chelator or postsynaptic hyperpolarization. Thus, PTP at these synapses is likely to involve a postsynaptic induction mechanism in addition to the known presynaptic mechanisms.
Related Concept Videos
Long-term Potentiation
Long-term Potentiation
Hebbian LTP
LTP can occur when presynaptic neurons...
Chemical Synapses
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
Chemical Synapses
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
Postsynaptic Potential (PSP)
There are two types of receptors: ionotropic and metabotropic.
The ionotropic receptor is the membrane protein that has an...
Integration of Synaptic Events

