scholarly journals A limited contribution of Ca2+current facilitation to paired-pulse facilitation of transmitter release at the rat calyx of Held

2008 ◽  
Vol 586 (22) ◽  
pp. 5503-5520 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Müller ◽  
Felix Felmy ◽  
Ralf Schneggenburger
1996 ◽  
Vol 76 (5) ◽  
pp. 3149-3158 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Capogna ◽  
B. H. Gahwiler ◽  
S. M. Thompson

1. The black widow spider venom component, alpha-latrotoxin (alpha-LTx) (< 0.5 nM), increased the frequency of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) in hippocampal CA3 pyramidal cells 14-fold, without changing their amplitude. 2. This action of alpha-LTx was not affected by application of Ca(2+)-free/ethylene glycol-bis(b-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid-containing saline, 100 microM Cd2+, or 50 microM Gd3+. The increase in mEPSC frequency was thus not due to an influx of Ca2+ into the axon terminal via voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels or alpha-LTx-induced pores. 3. alpha-LTx did not increase spontaneous release when synaptic transmission had been impaired by botulinum toxin/F. 4. alpha-LTx reduced the amplitude of EPSCs, elicited with stimulation of mossy fibers, without affecting paired-pulse facilitation. 5. The Ca2+ ionophore ionomycin (2–2.5 microM) also enhanced the frequency of mEPSCs, but unlike alpha-LTx, potentiated evoked EPSCs and reduced paired-pulse facilitation. Application of N-methyl-D-aspartate elicited a high frequency of Ca(2+)-dependent, tetrodotoxin-sensitive spontaneous EPSCs, but did not affect evoked EPSC amplitude. Agents that stimulate vesicular release by increasing presynaptic Ca2+ influx thus do not mimic the alpha-LTx-induced depression of evoked EPSCs. 6. We conclude that entry of Ca2+ into presynaptic axon terminals is not responsible for the effects of low concentrations of alpha-LTx on either spontaneous or evoked transmitter release in the hippocampus. 7. Potential presynaptic mechanisms that could mediate the opposing actions of alpha-LTx on spontaneous and evoked transmitter release in the hippocampus (i.e., alpha-LTx-induced ionic pores, depletion of synaptic vesicles, actions on exocytotic proteins) are discussed.


1994 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 326-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Andreasen ◽  
J. J. Hablitz

1. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were used to study paired-pulse facilitation (PPF) of the lateral perforant path input to the dentate gyrus in thin hippocampal slices. 2. Orthodromic stimulation of the lateral perforant pathway evoked a excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC) with a latency of 3.3 +/- 0.1 ms (mean +/- SE) that fluctuated in amplitude. The EPSC had a rise time (10-90%) of 2.79 +/- 0.06 ms (n = 35) and decayed with a single exponential time course with a time-constant of 9.14 +/- 0.24 ms (n = 35). No correlation was found between the amplitude of the EPSC and the rise time or decay time-constant. The non-N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione completely blocked the EPSC whereas the NMDA antagonist D-aminophosphonovaleric acid (APV) had modest effects. 3. When a test (T-)EPSC was preceded at an interval of 100 ms by a conditioning (C-)EPSC, a significant increase in the amplitude of the T-EPSC was seen in 38 out of 44 trials analyzed from a total of 27 granule cells. The average amount of PPF was 35.7 +/- 2.1%. There was no apparent correlation between the amount of PPF and the stimulation intensity or mean amplitude of the C-EPSC. The time course of the facilitated T-EPSC was not significantly different from that of the C-EPSC. 4. No correlation was found between the amplitude of the C-EPSC and that of the T-EPSC. Estimates of quantal content (mcv) were determined by calculating the ratio of the squared averaged EPSC amplitude (from 48 responses) to the variance of these responses (M2/sigma 2) whereas quantal amplitudes (qcv) were estimated by calculating the ratio of the response variance to average EPSC amplitude (sigma 2/M). PPF was found to be associated with an average increase in mcv of 64.8 +/- 7.2% (n = 38) whereas qcv was decreased by 12.1 +/- 3.8%. 5. The time course of PPF was studied by varying the interval between the C- and T-pulse from 10 to 400 ms while keeping the stimulation intensity constant. Maximal facilitation of the T-EPSC was obtained with interpulse intervals < or = 25 ms where the average facilitation amounted to approximately 70% (n = 6). The decline of facilitation was nearly exponential and was no longer evident with intervals > 350 ms.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS


PLoS ONE ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. e112138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramón A. Piñol ◽  
Heather Jameson ◽  
Anastas Popratiloff ◽  
Norman H. Lee ◽  
David Mendelowitz

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