scholarly journals Patch-clamp Capacitance Measurements and Ca2+ Imaging at Single Nerve Terminals in Retinal Slices

Author(s):  
Mean-Hwan Kim ◽  
Evan Vickers ◽  
Henrique von Gersdorff
The Neuron ◽  
2015 ◽  
pp. 153-186
Author(s):  
Irwin B. Levitan ◽  
Leonard K. Kaczmarek

Two ways that neurons communicate with one another are by direct electrical coupling and by the secretion of neurotransmitters. Electrical coupling arises from the existence of proteins, known as connexins, that form pores linking the cytoplasm of adjacent cells. Ions and small molecules can carry signals from one cell to another through these pores. Neurosecretion is a more complex process whereby different categories of molecules are sorted into cytoplasmic vesicles. Chemical processes within these vesicles ensure that they contain biologically active transmitters or hormones. SNARE complex proteins cooperate with other proteins to allow synaptic vesicles containing neurotransmitter to release their components into the external medium following calcium entry into nerve terminals. Such exocytosis of synaptic vesicles can be monitored with imaging techniques using fluorescent dyes or proteins, or by capacitance measurements. A second set of molecules retrieves the membrane of synaptic vesicles back from the plasma membrane through endocytosis.


1980 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 1077-1088 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Hayashida ◽  
H. Koyano ◽  
C. Eyzaguirre

1. The carotid body and its nerve, removed from anesthetized cats, were placed in physiological saline flowing under paraffin oil. The nerve, lifted into the oil, was used for either electrical stimulation or recording of the total afferent discharge. Intracellular recordings were obtained from individual nerve fibers and endings within the carotid body. The recording sites were identified by injecting Procion yellow through the intracellular electrodes; the tissues were then prepared for histology and observed with episcopic fluorescence or Nomarski optics. 2. Intracellularly recorded chemosensory fibers conducted at 1.1-30 m/s and usually displayed action potentials of regular amplitude. At times, however, some spikes become partially blocked while others maintained their original amplitude. "Natural" (hypoxia) or chemical (ACh or NaCN) stimulation induced different patterns of frequency changes of the large and small action potentials. This indicated nerve fiber branching at some distance from the recording site. 3. Intra- and extracellularly recorded spikes were blocked in 0 [Na+]0 by tetrodotoxin (TTX) or procaine. 4. During chemical stimulation, a slowly occurring depolarization (receptor or generator potential) was recorded intracellularly from the afferent fibers. It developed concomitantly with the increase in discharge. 5. Impalement of single nerve terminals (histologically identified) showed numerous "spontaneous" depolarizing potentials (SDPs) that had a mean amplitude of 5.6 mV, a mean duration of 46.1 ms, and nearly random distribution. They increased in frequency and summated during chemical stimulation. SDPs originated from either the site of recording or from neighboring areas. When the SDPs attained a certain amplitude, they seemed to give rise to action potentials. Also, relatively well developed or partially blocked spikes (apparently originating elsewhere) were recorded from single nerve terminals. 6. The receptor (generator) potential of chemosensory receptors appears to be an integrated response formed by multiple activity originating in different nerve endings.


2002 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 459-464 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukas Schwake ◽  
Andreas W. Henkel ◽  
Hans D. Riedel ◽  
Wolfgang Stremmel

2004 ◽  
Vol 76 (9) ◽  
pp. 2506-2510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katsuhiro Ajito ◽  
Chunxi Han ◽  
Keiichi Torimitsu

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