1
|
Dulon D, de Monvel JB, Plion B, Mallet A, Petit C, Condamine S, Bouleau Y, Safieddine S. A free intravesicular C-terminal of otoferlin is essential for synaptic vesicle docking and fusion at auditory inner hair cell ribbon synapses. Prog Neurobiol 2024; 240:102658. [PMID: 39103114 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2024.102658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 07/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
Our understanding of how otoferlin, the major calcium sensor in inner hair cells (IHCs) synaptic transmission, contributes to the overall dynamics of synaptic vesicle (SV) trafficking remains limited. To address this question, we generated a knock-in mouse model expressing an otoferlin-GFP protein, where GFP was fused to its C-terminal transmembrane domain. Similar to the wild type protein, the GFP-tagged otoferlin showed normal expression and was associated with IHC SV. Surprisingly, while the heterozygote Otof+/GFP mice exhibited a normal hearing function, homozygote OtofGFP/GFP mice were profoundly deaf attributed to severe reduction in SV exocytosis. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching revealed a markedly increased mobile fraction of the otof-GFP-associated SV in Otof GFP/GFP IHCs. Correspondingly, 3D-electron tomographic of the ribbon synapses indicated a reduced density of SV attached to the ribbon active zone. Collectively, these results indicate that otoferlin requires a free intravesicular C-terminal end for normal SV docking and fusion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Didier Dulon
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Inserm U06, Institut de l'Audition, Paris, France; Bordeaux Neurocampus, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux 33076, France.
| | | | - Baptiste Plion
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Inserm U06, Institut de l'Audition, Paris, France
| | - Adeline Mallet
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Inserm U06, Institut de l'Audition, Paris, France
| | - Christine Petit
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Inserm U06, Institut de l'Audition, Paris, France
| | - Steven Condamine
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Inserm U06, Institut de l'Audition, Paris, France; Bordeaux Neurocampus, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux 33076, France
| | - Yohan Bouleau
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Inserm U06, Institut de l'Audition, Paris, France; Bordeaux Neurocampus, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux 33076, France
| | - Saaid Safieddine
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Inserm U06, Institut de l'Audition, Paris, France; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, France.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Rodríguez-Morales R. Sensing in the dark: Constructive evolution of the lateral line system in blind populations of Astyanax mexicanus. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11286. [PMID: 38654714 PMCID: PMC11036076 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Cave-adapted animals evolve a suite of regressive and constructive traits that allow survival in the dark. Most studies aiming at understanding cave animal evolution have focused on the genetics and environmental underpinnings of regressive traits, with special emphasis on vision loss. Possibly as a result of vision loss, other non-visual sensory systems have expanded and compensated in cave species. For instance, in many cave-dwelling fish species, including the blind cavefish of the Mexican tetra, Astyanax mexicanus, a major non-visual mechanosensory system called the lateral line, compensated for vision loss through morphological expansions. While substantial work has shed light on constructive adaptation of this system, there are still many open questions regarding its developmental origin, synaptic plasticity, and overall adaptive value. This review provides a snapshot of the current state of knowledge of lateral line adaption in A. mexicanus, with an emphasis on anatomy, synaptic plasticity, and behavior. Multiple open avenues for future research in this system, and how these can be leveraged as tools for both evolutionary biology and evolutionary medicine, are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Rodríguez-Morales
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine University of Puerto Rico San Juan Puerto Rico
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zhai RG. The Architecture of the Presynaptic Release Site. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 33:1-21. [PMID: 37615861 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-34229-5_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
The architecture of the presynaptic release site is exquisitely designed to facilitate and regulate synaptic vesicle exocytosis. With the identification of some of the building blocks of the active zone and the advent of super resolution imaging techniques, we are beginning to understand the morphological and functional properties of synapses in great detail. Presynaptic release sites consist of the plasma membrane, the cytomatrix, and dense projections. These three components are morphologically distinct but intimately connected with each other and with postsynaptic specializations, ensuring the fidelity of synaptic vesicle tethering, docking, and fusion, as well as signal detection. Although the morphology and molecular compositions of active zones may vary among species, tissues, and cells, global architectural design of the release sites is highly conserved.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R Grace Zhai
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Spaiardi P, Marcotti W, Masetto S, Johnson SL. Signal transmission in mature mammalian vestibular hair cells. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:806913. [PMID: 35936492 PMCID: PMC9353129 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.806913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The maintenance of balance and gaze relies on the faithful and rapid signaling of head movements to the brain. In mammals, vestibular organs contain two types of sensory hair cells, type-I and type-II, which convert the head motion-induced movement of their hair bundles into a graded receptor potential that drives action potential activity in their afferent fibers. While signal transmission in both hair cell types involves Ca2+-dependent quantal release of glutamate at ribbon synapses, type-I cells appear to also exhibit a non-quantal mechanism that is believed to increase transmission speed. However, the reliance of mature type-I hair cells on non-quantal transmission remains unknown. Here we investigated synaptic transmission in mammalian utricular hair cells using patch-clamp recording of Ca2+ currents and changes in membrane capacitance (ΔCm). We found that mature type-II hair cells showed robust exocytosis with a high-order dependence on Ca2+ entry. By contrast, exocytosis was approximately 10 times smaller in type-I hair cells. Synaptic vesicle exocytosis was largely absent in mature vestibular hair cells of CaV1.3 (CaV1.3−/−) and otoferlin (Otof−/−) knockout mice. Even though Ca2+-dependent exocytosis was small in type-I hair cells of wild-type mice, or absent in CaV1.3−/− and Otof−/−mice, these cells were able to drive action potential activity in the postsynaptic calyces. This supports a functional role for non-quantal synaptic transmission in type-I cells. The large vesicle pools in type-II cells would facilitate sustained transmission of tonic or low-frequency signals. In type-I cells, the restricted vesicle pool size, together with a rapid non-quantal mechanism, could allow them to sustain high-frequency phasic signal transmission at their specialized large calyceal synapses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Spaiardi
- Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Walter Marcotti
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- Sheffield Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Sergio Masetto
- Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Stuart L. Johnson
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- Sheffield Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Stuart L. Johnson
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Knodel MM, Dutta Roy R, Wittum G. Influence of T-Bar on Calcium Concentration Impacting Release Probability. Front Comput Neurosci 2022; 16:855746. [PMID: 35586479 PMCID: PMC9108211 DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2022.855746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The relation of form and function, namely the impact of the synaptic anatomy on calcium dynamics in the presynaptic bouton, is a major challenge of present (computational) neuroscience at a cellular level. The Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a simple model system, which allows studying basic effects in a rather simple way. This synapse harbors several special structures. In particular, in opposite to standard vertebrate synapses, the presynaptic boutons are rather large, and they have several presynaptic zones. In these zones, different types of anatomical structures are present. Some of the zones bear a so-called T-bar, a particular anatomical structure. The geometric form of the T-bar resembles the shape of the letter “T” or a table with one leg. When an action potential arises, calcium influx is triggered. The probability of vesicle docking and neurotransmitter release is superlinearly proportional to the concentration of calcium close to the vesicular release site. It is tempting to assume that the T-bar causes some sort of calcium accumulation and hence triggers a higher release probability and thus enhances neurotransmitter exocytosis. In order to study this influence in a quantitative manner, we constructed a typical T-bar geometry and compared the calcium concentration close to the active zones (AZs). We compared the case of synapses with and without T-bars. Indeed, we found a substantial influence of the T-bar structure on the presynaptic calcium concentrations close to the AZs, indicating that this anatomical structure increases vesicle release probability. Therefore, our study reveals how the T-bar zone implies a strong relation between form and function. Our study answers the question of experimental studies (namely “Wichmann and Sigrist, Journal of neurogenetics 2010”) concerning the sense of the anatomical structure of the T-bar.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Markus M. Knodel
- Goethe Center for Scientific Computing (GCSC), Goethe Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- *Correspondence: Markus M. Knodel ; orcid.org/0000-0001-8739-0803
| | | | - Gabriel Wittum
- Goethe Center for Scientific Computing (GCSC), Goethe Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Applied Mathematics and Computational Science, Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Chakrabarti R, Jaime Tobón LM, Slitin L, Redondo Canales M, Hoch G, Slashcheva M, Fritsch E, Bodensiek K, Özçete ÖD, Gültas M, Michanski S, Opazo F, Neef J, Pangrsic T, Moser T, Wichmann C. Optogenetics and electron tomography for structure-function analysis of cochlear ribbon synapses. eLife 2022; 11:79494. [PMID: 36562477 PMCID: PMC9908081 DOI: 10.7554/elife.79494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Ribbon synapses of cochlear inner hair cells (IHCs) are specialized to indefatigably transmit sound information at high rates. To understand the underlying mechanisms, structure-function analysis of the active zone (AZ) of these synapses is essential. Previous electron microscopy studies of synaptic vesicle (SV) dynamics at the IHC AZ used potassium stimulation, which limited the temporal resolution to minutes. Here, we established optogenetic IHC stimulation followed by quick freezing within milliseconds and electron tomography to study the ultrastructure of functional synapse states with good temporal resolution in mice. We characterized optogenetic IHC stimulation by patch-clamp recordings from IHCs and postsynaptic boutons revealing robust IHC depolarization and neurotransmitter release. Ultrastructurally, the number of docked SVs increased upon short (17-25 ms) and long (48-76 ms) light stimulation paradigms. We did not observe enlarged SVs or other morphological correlates of homotypic fusion events. Our results indicate a rapid recruitment of SVs to the docked state upon stimulation and suggest that univesicular release prevails as the quantal mechanism of exocytosis at IHC ribbon synapses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rituparna Chakrabarti
- Molecular Architecture of Synapses Group, Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center GöttingenGöttingenGermany,Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center GöttingenGöttingenGermany,Collaborative Research Center 889 "Cellular Mechanisms of Sensory Processing"GöttingenGermany
| | - Lina María Jaime Tobón
- Collaborative Research Center 889 "Cellular Mechanisms of Sensory Processing"GöttingenGermany,Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center GöttingenGöttingenGermany,Auditory Neuroscience & Synaptic Nanophysiology Group, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary SciencesGöttingenGermany
| | - Loujin Slitin
- Molecular Architecture of Synapses Group, Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center GöttingenGöttingenGermany,Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center GöttingenGöttingenGermany,Collaborative Research Center 889 "Cellular Mechanisms of Sensory Processing"GöttingenGermany
| | - Magdalena Redondo Canales
- Molecular Architecture of Synapses Group, Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center GöttingenGöttingenGermany,Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center GöttingenGöttingenGermany,Collaborative Research Center 889 "Cellular Mechanisms of Sensory Processing"GöttingenGermany
| | - Gerhard Hoch
- Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center GöttingenGöttingenGermany,Auditory Neuroscience & Synaptic Nanophysiology Group, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary SciencesGöttingenGermany
| | - Marina Slashcheva
- Göttingen Graduate School for Neuroscience and Molecular Biosciences, University of GöttingenGöttingenGermany
| | - Elisabeth Fritsch
- Göttingen Graduate School for Neuroscience and Molecular Biosciences, University of GöttingenGöttingenGermany
| | - Kai Bodensiek
- Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center GöttingenGöttingenGermany
| | - Özge Demet Özçete
- Collaborative Research Center 889 "Cellular Mechanisms of Sensory Processing"GöttingenGermany,Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center GöttingenGöttingenGermany,Auditory Neuroscience & Synaptic Nanophysiology Group, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary SciencesGöttingenGermany
| | - Mehmet Gültas
- Faculty of Agriculture, South Westphalia University of Applied SciencesSoestGermany
| | - Susann Michanski
- Molecular Architecture of Synapses Group, Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center GöttingenGöttingenGermany,Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center GöttingenGöttingenGermany,Collaborative Research Center 889 "Cellular Mechanisms of Sensory Processing"GöttingenGermany
| | - Felipe Opazo
- Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center GöttingenGöttingenGermany,NanoTag Biotechnologies GmbHGöttingenGermany,Institute of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology, University Medical Center GöttingenGöttingenGermany
| | - Jakob Neef
- Collaborative Research Center 889 "Cellular Mechanisms of Sensory Processing"GöttingenGermany,Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center GöttingenGöttingenGermany,Auditory Neuroscience & Synaptic Nanophysiology Group, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary SciencesGöttingenGermany
| | - Tina Pangrsic
- Collaborative Research Center 889 "Cellular Mechanisms of Sensory Processing"GöttingenGermany,Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center GöttingenGöttingenGermany,Auditory Neuroscience & Synaptic Nanophysiology Group, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary SciencesGöttingenGermany,Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable CellsGöttingenGermany,Synaptic Physiology of Mammalian Vestibular Hair Cells Group, Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center GöttingenGöttingenGermany
| | - Tobias Moser
- Collaborative Research Center 889 "Cellular Mechanisms of Sensory Processing"GöttingenGermany,Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center GöttingenGöttingenGermany,Auditory Neuroscience & Synaptic Nanophysiology Group, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary SciencesGöttingenGermany,Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable CellsGöttingenGermany
| | - Carolin Wichmann
- Molecular Architecture of Synapses Group, Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center GöttingenGöttingenGermany,Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center GöttingenGöttingenGermany,Collaborative Research Center 889 "Cellular Mechanisms of Sensory Processing"GöttingenGermany,Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable CellsGöttingenGermany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Electron Tomographic Methods for Studying Organelles of the Murine Chemical Synapse. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2473:129-139. [PMID: 35819763 PMCID: PMC10115186 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2209-4_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Electron tomography of the chemical synapse provides important architectural information regarding the organization of synaptic organelles including synaptic vesicles, Nissl bodies, and early endosomes. Here, we describe methods for the preparation of select murine brain regions for high-pressure freezing, freeze substitution, and EM tomographic analysis of synaptic structures. The method uses fresh brain slices prepared using a vibratome and biopsy punches to collect specific brain regions of interest suitable for subsequent preservation and EM tomographic imaging.
Collapse
|
8
|
Peng WH, Liao ML, Huang WC, Liu PK, Levi SR, Tseng YJ, Lee CY, Yeh LK, Chen KJ, Chien CL, Wang NK. Conditional Deletion of Activating Rearranged During Transfection Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Leads to Impairment of Photoreceptor Ribbon Synapses and Disrupted Visual Function in Mice. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:728905. [PMID: 34803580 PMCID: PMC8602685 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.728905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: The rearranged during transfection (RET) receptor tyrosine kinase plays a key role in transducing signals related to cell growth and differentiation. Ret mutant mice show abnormal retinal activity and abnormal levels and morphology of bipolar cells, yet die on the 21st day after birth as a result of renal underdevelopment. To extend the observation period, we generated the Ret conditional knockout Chx10-Cre;C-Ret lx/lx mouse model and analyzed the retinal function and morphological changes in mature and aging Chx10-Cre;C-Ret lx/lx mice. Methods: Retina-specific depletion of Ret was achieved using mice with floxed alleles of the Ret gene with CHX10-driven Cre recombinase; floxed mice without Cre expression were used as controls. Retinal function was examined using electroretinography (ERG), and 2-, 4-, 12-, and 24-month-old mice were analyzed by hematoxylin staining and immunohistochemistry to evaluate retinal morphological alterations. The ultrastructure of photoreceptor synapses was evaluated using electron microscopy. Results: The results of the ERG testing showed that b-wave amplitudes were reduced in Chx10-Cre;C-Ret lx/lx mice, whereas a-waves were not affected. A histopathological analysis revealed a thinner and disorganized outer plexiform layer at the ages of 12 and 24 months in Chx10-Cre;C-Ret lx/lx mice. Moreover, the data provided by immunohistochemistry showed defects in the synapses of photoreceptor cells. This result was confirmed at the ultrastructural level, thus supporting the participation of Ret in the morphological changes of the synaptic ribbon. Conclusion: Our results provide evidence of the role of Ret in maintaining the function of the retina, which was essential for preserving the structure of the synaptic ribbon and supporting the integrity of the outer plexiform layer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Hao Peng
- School of Medicine for International Students, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Meng-Lin Liao
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wan-Chun Huang
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Kang Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Sarah R. Levi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Yun-Ju Tseng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Chia-Ying Lee
- Department of Ophthalmology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Lung-Kun Yeh
- Department of Ophthalmology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Kuan-Jen Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Liang Chien
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Nan-Kai Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Eshra A, Schmidt H, Eilers J, Hallermann S. Calcium dependence of neurotransmitter release at a high fidelity synapse. eLife 2021; 10:70408. [PMID: 34612812 PMCID: PMC8494478 DOI: 10.7554/elife.70408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The Ca2+-dependence of the priming, fusion, and replenishment of synaptic vesicles are fundamental parameters controlling neurotransmitter release and synaptic plasticity. Despite intense efforts, these important steps in the synaptic vesicles’ cycle remain poorly understood due to the technical challenge in disentangling vesicle priming, fusion, and replenishment. Here, we investigated the Ca2+-sensitivity of these steps at mossy fiber synapses in the rodent cerebellum, which are characterized by fast vesicle replenishment mediating high-frequency signaling. We found that the basal free Ca2+ concentration (<200 nM) critically controls action potential-evoked release, indicating a high-affinity Ca2+ sensor for vesicle priming. Ca2+ uncaging experiments revealed a surprisingly shallow and non-saturating relationship between release rate and intracellular Ca2+ concentration up to 50 μM. The rate of vesicle replenishment during sustained elevated intracellular Ca2+ concentration exhibited little Ca2+-dependence. Finally, quantitative mechanistic release schemes with five Ca2+ binding steps incorporating rapid vesicle replenishment via parallel or sequential vesicle pools could explain our data. We thus show that co-existing high- and low-affinity Ca2+ sensors mediate priming, fusion, and replenishment of synaptic vesicles at a high-fidelity synapse.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abdelmoneim Eshra
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hartmut Schmidt
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jens Eilers
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stefan Hallermann
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Burger CA, Jiang D, Mackin RD, Samuel MA. Development and maintenance of vision's first synapse. Dev Biol 2021; 476:218-239. [PMID: 33848537 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Synapses in the outer retina are the first information relay points in vision. Here, photoreceptors form synapses onto two types of interneurons, bipolar cells and horizontal cells. Because outer retina synapses are particularly large and highly ordered, they have been a useful system for the discovery of mechanisms underlying synapse specificity and maintenance. Understanding these processes is critical to efforts aimed at restoring visual function through repairing or replacing neurons and promoting their connectivity. We review outer retina neuron synapse architecture, neural migration modes, and the cellular and molecular pathways that play key roles in the development and maintenance of these connections. We further discuss how these mechanisms may impact connectivity in the retina.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Courtney A Burger
- Huffington Center on Aging, Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Danye Jiang
- Huffington Center on Aging, Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Robert D Mackin
- Huffington Center on Aging, Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Melanie A Samuel
- Huffington Center on Aging, Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Chou VT, Johnson SA, Van Vactor D. Synapse development and maturation at the drosophila neuromuscular junction. Neural Dev 2020; 15:11. [PMID: 32741370 PMCID: PMC7397595 DOI: 10.1186/s13064-020-00147-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Synapses are the sites of neuron-to-neuron communication and form the basis of the neural circuits that underlie all animal cognition and behavior. Chemical synapses are specialized asymmetric junctions between a presynaptic neuron and a postsynaptic target that form through a series of diverse cellular and subcellular events under the control of complex signaling networks. Once established, the synapse facilitates neurotransmission by mediating the organization and fusion of synaptic vesicles and must also retain the ability to undergo plastic changes. In recent years, synaptic genes have been implicated in a wide array of neurodevelopmental disorders; the individual and societal burdens imposed by these disorders, as well as the lack of effective therapies, motivates continued work on fundamental synapse biology. The properties and functions of the nervous system are remarkably conserved across animal phyla, and many insights into the synapses of the vertebrate central nervous system have been derived from studies of invertebrate models. A prominent model synapse is the Drosophila melanogaster larval neuromuscular junction, which bears striking similarities to the glutamatergic synapses of the vertebrate brain and spine; further advantages include the simplicity and experimental versatility of the fly, as well as its century-long history as a model organism. Here, we survey findings on the major events in synaptogenesis, including target specification, morphogenesis, and the assembly and maturation of synaptic specializations, with a emphasis on work conducted at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vivian T Chou
- Department of Cell Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Seth A Johnson
- Department of Cell Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - David Van Vactor
- Department of Cell Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Chakrabarti R, Wichmann C. Nanomachinery Organizing Release at Neuronal and Ribbon Synapses. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E2147. [PMID: 31052288 PMCID: PMC6539712 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20092147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Revised: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A critical aim in neuroscience is to obtain a comprehensive view of how regulated neurotransmission is achieved. Our current understanding of synapses relies mainly on data from electrophysiological recordings, imaging, and molecular biology. Based on these methodologies, proteins involved in a synaptic vesicle (SV) formation, mobility, and fusion at the active zone (AZ) membrane have been identified. In the last decade, electron tomography (ET) combined with a rapid freezing immobilization of neuronal samples opened a window for understanding the structural machinery with the highest spatial resolution in situ. ET provides significant insights into the molecular architecture of the AZ and the organelles within the presynaptic nerve terminal. The specialized sensory ribbon synapses exhibit a distinct architecture from neuronal synapses due to the presence of the electron-dense synaptic ribbon. However, both synapse types share the filamentous structures, also commonly termed as tethers that are proposed to contribute to different steps of SV recruitment and exocytosis. In this review, we discuss the emerging views on the role of filamentous structures in SV exocytosis gained from ultrastructural studies of excitatory, mainly central neuronal compared to ribbon-type synapses with a focus on inner hair cell (IHC) ribbon synapses. Moreover, we will speculate on the molecular entities that may be involved in filament formation and hence play a crucial role in the SV cycle.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rituparna Chakrabarti
- Molecular Architecture of Synapses Group, Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany.
- Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany.
- Collaborative Research Center 889 "Cellular Mechanisms of Sensory Processing", 37099 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Carolin Wichmann
- Molecular Architecture of Synapses Group, Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany.
- Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany.
- Collaborative Research Center 889 "Cellular Mechanisms of Sensory Processing", 37099 Göttingen, Germany.
- Collaborative Research Center 1286 "Quantitative Synaptology", 37099 Göttingen, Germany.
- Auditory Neuroscience Group, Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, 37075 Göttingen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
A Multiple Piccolino-RIBEYE Interaction Supports Plate-Shaped Synaptic Ribbons in Retinal Neurons. J Neurosci 2019; 39:2606-2619. [PMID: 30696732 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2038-18.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Active zones at chemical synapses are highly specialized sites for the regulated release of neurotransmitters. Despite a high degree of active zone protein conservation in vertebrates, every type of chemical synapse expresses a given set of protein isoforms and splice variants adapted to the demands on neurotransmitter release. So far, we know little about how specific active zone proteins contribute to the structural and functional diversity of active zones. In this study, we explored the nanodomain organization of ribbon-type active zones by addressing the significance of Piccolino, the ribbon synapse-specific splice variant of Piccolo, for shaping the ribbon structure. We followed up on previous results, which indicated that rod photoreceptor synaptic ribbons lose their structural integrity in a knockdown of Piccolino. Here, we demonstrate an interaction between Piccolino and the major ribbon component RIBEYE that supports plate-shaped synaptic ribbons in retinal neurons. In a detailed ultrastructural analysis of three different types of retinal ribbon synapses in Piccolo/Piccolino-deficient male and female rats, we show that the absence of Piccolino destabilizes the superstructure of plate-shaped synaptic ribbons, although with variable manifestation in the cell types examined. Our analysis illustrates how the expression of a specific active zone protein splice variant (e.g., Piccolino) contributes to structural diversity of vertebrate active zones.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Retinal ribbon synapses are a specialized type of chemical synapse adapted for the regulated fast and tonic release of neurotransmitter. The hallmark of retinal ribbon synapses is the plate-shaped synaptic ribbon, which extends from the release site into the terminals' cytoplasm and tethers hundreds of synaptic vesicles. Here, we show that Piccolino, the synaptic ribbon specific splice variant of Piccolo, interacts with RIBEYE, the main component of synaptic ribbons. This interaction occurs via several PxDLS-like motifs located at the C terminus of Piccolino, which can connect multiple RIBEYE molecules. Loss of Piccolino disrupts the characteristic plate-shaped structure of synaptic ribbons, indicating a role of Piccolino in synaptic ribbon assembly.
Collapse
|
14
|
Pangrsic T, Vogl C. Balancing presynaptic release and endocytic membrane retrieval at hair cell ribbon synapses. FEBS Lett 2018; 592:3633-3650. [PMID: 30251250 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.13258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Revised: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The timely and reliable processing of auditory and vestibular information within the inner ear requires highly sophisticated sensory transduction pathways. On a cellular level, these demands are met by hair cells, which respond to sound waves - or alterations in body positioning - by releasing glutamate-filled synaptic vesicles (SVs) from their presynaptic active zones with unprecedented speed and exquisite temporal fidelity, thereby initiating the auditory and vestibular pathways. In order to achieve this, hair cells have developed anatomical and molecular specializations, such as the characteristic and name-giving 'synaptic ribbons' - presynaptically anchored dense bodies that tether SVs prior to release - as well as other unique or unconventional synaptic proteins. The tightly orchestrated interplay between these molecular components enables not only ultrafast exocytosis, but similarly rapid and efficient compensatory endocytosis. So far, the knowledge of how endocytosis operates at hair cell ribbon synapses is limited. In this Review, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of the SV cycle and molecular anatomy of hair cell ribbon synapses, with a focus on cochlear inner hair cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tina Pangrsic
- Synaptic Physiology of Mammalian Vestibular Hair Cells Group, Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, Auditory Neuroscience Group, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christian Vogl
- Presynaptogenesis and Intracellular Transport in Hair Cells Group, Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, Auditory Neuroscience Group, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Göttingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Chakrabarti R, Michanski S, Wichmann C. Vesicle sub-pool organization at inner hair cell ribbon synapses. EMBO Rep 2018; 19:embr.201744937. [PMID: 30201800 DOI: 10.15252/embr.201744937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Revised: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The afferent inner hair cell synapse harbors the synaptic ribbon, which ensures a constant vesicle supply. Synaptic vesicles (SVs) are arranged in morphologically discernable pools, linked via filaments to the ribbon or the presynaptic membrane. We propose that filaments play a major role in SV resupply and exocytosis at the ribbon. Using advanced electron microscopy, we demonstrate that SVs are organized in sub-pools defined by the filament number per vesicle and its connections. Upon stimulation, SVs increasingly linked to other vesicles and to the ribbon, whereas single-tethered SVs dominated at the membrane. Mutant mice for the hair cell protein otoferlin (pachanga, Otof Pga/Pga ) are profoundly deaf with reduced sustained release, serving as a model to investigate the SV replenishment at IHCs. Upon stimulation, multiple-tethered and docked vesicles (rarely observed in wild-type) accumulated at Otof Pga/Pga active zones due to an impairment downstream of docking. Conclusively, vesicles are organized in sub-pools at ribbon-type active zones by filaments to support vesicle supply, transport, and finally release.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rituparna Chakrabarti
- Molecular Architecture of Synapses Group, Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Collaborative Research Center 889 "Cellular Mechanisms of Sensory Processing", Göttingen, Germany.,Göttingen Graduate School for Neurosciences, Biophysics and Molecular Biosciences, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Susann Michanski
- Molecular Architecture of Synapses Group, Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Collaborative Research Center 889 "Cellular Mechanisms of Sensory Processing", Göttingen, Germany.,Georg-August University School of Science, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Carolin Wichmann
- Molecular Architecture of Synapses Group, Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany .,Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Collaborative Research Center 889 "Cellular Mechanisms of Sensory Processing", Göttingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Chen Z, Chou SW, McDermott BM. Ribeye protein is intrinsically dynamic but is stabilized in the context of the ribbon synapse. J Physiol 2018; 596:409-421. [PMID: 29086422 DOI: 10.1113/jp271215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS The synaptic ribbon is an organelle that coordinates rapid and sustained vesicle release to enable hearing and balance. Ribeye a and b proteins are major constituents of the synaptic ribbon in hair cells. In this study, we use optically clear transgenic zebrafish to examine the potential dynamics of ribeye proteins in vivo. We demonstrate that ribeye proteins are inherently dynamic but are stabilized at the ribbons of hair cells in the ear and the lateral line system. ABSTRACT Ribeye protein is a major constituent of the synaptic ribbon, an organelle that coordinates rapid and sustained vesicle release to enable hearing and balance. The ribbon is considered to be a stable structure. However, under certain physiological conditions such as acoustic overexposure that results in temporary noise-induced hearing loss or perturbations of ion channels, ribbons may change shape or vanish altogether, suggesting greater plasticity than previously appreciated. The dynamic properties of ribeye proteins are unknown. Here we use transgenesis and imaging to explore the behaviours of ribeye proteins within the ribbon and also their intrinsic properties outside the context of the ribbon synapse in a control cell type, the skin cell. By fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) on transgenic zebrafish larvae, we test whether ribeye proteins are dynamic in vivo in real time. In the skin, a cell type devoid of synaptic contacts, Ribeye a-mCherry exchanges with ribbon-like structures on a time scale of minutes (t1/2 = 3.2 min). In contrast, Ribeye a of the ear and lateral line and Ribeye b of the lateral line each exchange at ribbons of hair cells an order of magnitude slower (t1/2 of 125.6 min, 107.0 min and 95.3 min, respectively) than Ribeye a of the skin. These basal exchange rates suggest that long-term ribbon presence may require ribeye renewal. Our studies demonstrate that ribeye proteins are inherently dynamic but are stabilized at the ribbons of sensory cells in vivo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zongwei Chen
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.,Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Shih-Wei Chou
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.,Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Brian M McDermott
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.,Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.,Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.,Department of Neurosciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Hartveit E, Zandt BJ, Madsen E, Castilho Á, Mørkve SH, Veruki ML. AMPA receptors at ribbon synapses in the mammalian retina: kinetic models and molecular identity. Brain Struct Funct 2017; 223:769-804. [PMID: 28936725 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-017-1520-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2017] [Accepted: 09/10/2017] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
In chemical synapses, neurotransmitter molecules released from presynaptic vesicles activate populations of postsynaptic receptors that vary in functional properties depending on their subunit composition. Differential expression and localization of specific receptor subunits are thought to play fundamental roles in signal processing, but our understanding of how that expression is adapted to the signal processing in individual synapses and microcircuits is limited. At ribbon synapses, glutamate release is independent of action potentials and characterized by a high and rapidly changing rate of release. Adequately translating such presynaptic signals into postsynaptic electrical signals poses a considerable challenge for the receptor channels in these synapses. Here, we investigated the functional properties of AMPA receptors of AII amacrine cells in rat retina that receive input at spatially segregated ribbon synapses from OFF-cone and rod bipolar cells. Using patch-clamp recording from outside-out patches, we measured the concentration dependence of response amplitude and steady-state desensitization, the single-channel conductance and the maximum open probability. The GluA4 subunit seems critical for the functional properties of AMPA receptors in AII amacrines and immunocytochemical labeling suggested that GluA4 is located at synapses made by both OFF-cone bipolar cells and rod bipolar cells. Finally, we used a series of experimental observables to develop kinetic models for AII amacrine AMPA receptors and subsequently used the models to explore the behavior of the receptors and responses generated by glutamate concentration profiles mimicking those occurring in synapses. These models will facilitate future in silico modeling of synaptic signaling and processing in AII amacrine cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Espen Hartveit
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 91, 5009, Bergen, Norway.
| | - Bas-Jan Zandt
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 91, 5009, Bergen, Norway.,Blue Brain Project, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Eirik Madsen
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 91, 5009, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Radiology, Førde Central Hospital, Førde, Norway
| | - Áurea Castilho
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 91, 5009, Bergen, Norway
| | - Svein Harald Mørkve
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 91, 5009, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Neurosurgery, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Radiology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Margaret Lin Veruki
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 91, 5009, Bergen, Norway.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
GluA2-Containing AMPA Receptors Distinguish Ribbon-Associated from Ribbonless Afferent Contacts on Rat Cochlear Hair Cells. eNeuro 2016; 3:eN-NWR-0078-16. [PMID: 27257620 PMCID: PMC4874539 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0078-16.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Accepted: 04/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanosensory hair cells release glutamate at ribbon synapses to excite postsynaptic afferent neurons, via AMPA-type ionotropic glutamate receptors (AMPARs). However, type II afferent neurons contacting outer hair cells in the mammalian cochlea were thought to differ in this respect, failing to show GluA immunolabeling and with many “ribbonless” afferent contacts. Here it is shown that antibodies to the AMPAR subunit GluA2 labeled afferent contacts below inner and outer hair cells in the rat cochlea, and that synaptic currents in type II afferents had AMPAR-specific pharmacology. Only half the postsynaptic densities of type II afferents that labeled for PSD-95, Shank, or Homer were associated with GluA2 immunopuncta or presynaptic ribbons, the “empty slots” corresponding to ribbonless contacts described previously. These results extend the universality of AMPAergic transmission by hair cells, and support the existence of silent afferent contacts.
Collapse
|
19
|
Rutherford MA, Moser T. The Ribbon Synapse Between Type I Spiral Ganglion Neurons and Inner Hair Cells. THE PRIMARY AUDITORY NEURONS OF THE MAMMALIAN COCHLEA 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3031-9_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
|
20
|
Abstract
The first synapses transmitting visual information contain an unusual organelle, the ribbon, which is involved in the transport and priming of vesicles to be released at the active zone. The ribbon is one of many design features that allow efficient refilling of the active zone, which in turn enables graded changes in membrane potential to be transmitted using a continuous mode of neurotransmitter release. The ribbon also plays a key role in supplying vesicles for rapid and transient bursts of release that signal fast changes, such as the onset of light. We increasingly understand how the physiological properties of ribbon synapses determine basic transformations of the visual signal and, in particular, how the process of refilling the active zone regulates the gain and adaptive properties of the retinal circuit. The molecular basis of ribbon function is, however, far from clear.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leon Lagnado
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QG, United Kingdom;
| | - Frank Schmitz
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical School Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany;
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Wichmann C, Moser T. Relating structure and function of inner hair cell ribbon synapses. Cell Tissue Res 2015; 361:95-114. [PMID: 25874597 PMCID: PMC4487357 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-014-2102-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2014] [Accepted: 12/18/2014] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
In the mammalian cochlea, sound is encoded at synapses between inner hair cells (IHCs) and type I spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs). Each SGN receives input from a single IHC ribbon-type active zone (AZ) and yet SGNs indefatigably spike up to hundreds of Hz to encode acoustic stimuli with submillisecond precision. Accumulating evidence indicates a highly specialized molecular composition and structure of the presynapse, adapted to suit these high functional demands. However, we are only beginning to understand key features such as stimulus-secretion coupling, exocytosis mechanisms, exo-endocytosis coupling, modes of endocytosis and vesicle reformation, as well as replenishment of the readily releasable pool. Relating structure and function has become an important avenue in addressing these points and has been applied to normal and genetically manipulated hair cell synapses. Here, we review some of the exciting new insights gained from recent studies of the molecular anatomy and physiology of IHC ribbon synapses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C. Wichmann
- Molecular Architecture of Synapses Group, Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Collaborative Research Center 889, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - T. Moser
- Collaborative Research Center 889, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Bruckner JJ, Zhan H, O'Connor-Giles KM. Advances in imaging ultrastructure yield new insights into presynaptic biology. Front Cell Neurosci 2015; 9:196. [PMID: 26052269 PMCID: PMC4440913 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2015.00196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2015] [Accepted: 05/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Synapses are the fundamental functional units of neural circuits, and their dysregulation has been implicated in diverse neurological disorders. At presynaptic terminals, neurotransmitter-filled synaptic vesicles are released in response to calcium influx through voltage-gated calcium channels activated by the arrival of an action potential. Decades of electrophysiological, biochemical, and genetic studies have contributed to a growing understanding of presynaptic biology. Imaging studies are yielding new insights into how synapses are organized to carry out their critical functions. The development of techniques for rapid immobilization and preservation of neuronal tissues for electron microscopy (EM) has led to a new renaissance in ultrastructural imaging that is rapidly advancing our understanding of synapse structure and function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph J Bruckner
- Cell and Molecular Biology Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI, USA
| | - Hong Zhan
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI, USA
| | - Kate M O'Connor-Giles
- Cell and Molecular Biology Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI, USA ; Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI, USA ; Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI, USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Rutherford MA. Resolving the structure of inner ear ribbon synapses with STED microscopy. Synapse 2015; 69:242-55. [DOI: 10.1002/syn.21812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2014] [Revised: 02/03/2015] [Accepted: 02/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mark A. Rutherford
- Department of Otolaryngology; Central Institute for the Deaf, Washington University School of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine; St. Louis Missouri 63110
- Inner Ear Lab; Department of Otolaryngology; University of Göttingen Medical Center; Göttingen Germany D-37077
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Perkins GA, Jackson DR, Spirou GA. Resolving presynaptic structure by electron tomography. Synapse 2015; 69:268-82. [PMID: 25683026 DOI: 10.1002/syn.21813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2014] [Revised: 02/07/2015] [Accepted: 02/11/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
A key goal in neurobiology is to generate a theoretical framework that merges structural, physiological, and molecular explanations of brain function. These categories of explanation do not advance in synchrony; advances in one category define new experiments in other categories. For example, the synapse was defined physiologically and biochemically before it was visualized using electron microscopy. Indeed, the original descriptions of synapses in the 1950s were lent credence by the presence of spherical vesicles in presynaptic terminals that were considered to be the substrate for quantal neurotransmission. In the last few decades, our understanding of synaptic function has again been driven by physiological and molecular techniques. The key molecular players for synaptic vesicle structure, mobility and fusion were identified and applications of the patch clamp technique permitted physiological estimation of neurotransmitter release and receptor properties. These advances demand higher resolution structural images of synapses. During the 1990s a second renaissance in cell biology driven by EM was fueled by improved techniques for electron tomography (ET) with the ability to compute virtual images with nm resolution between image planes. Over the last 15 years, ET has been applied to the presynaptic terminal with special attention to the active zone and organelles of the nerve terminal. In this review, we first summarize the technical improvements that have led to a resurgence in utilization of ET and then we summarize new insights gained by the application of ET to reveal the high-resolution structure of the nerve terminal.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guy A Perkins
- National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, 92092-0608
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
Visualizing synaptic vesicle turnover and pool refilling driven by calcium nanodomains at presynaptic active zones of ribbon synapses. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:8655-60. [PMID: 24912160 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1323962111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Ribbon synapses of photoreceptor cells and second-order bipolar neurons in the retina are specialized to transmit graded signals that encode light intensity. Neurotransmitter release at ribbon synapses exhibits two kinetically distinct components, which serve different sensory functions. The faster component is depleted within milliseconds and generates transient postsynaptic responses that emphasize changes in light intensity. Despite the importance of this fast release for processing temporal and spatial contrast in visual signals, the physiological basis for this component is not precisely known. By imaging synaptic vesicle turnover and Ca(2+) signals at single ribbons in zebrafish bipolar neurons, we determined the locus of fast release, the speed and site of Ca(2+) influx driving rapid release, and the location where new vesicles are recruited to replenish the fast pool after it is depleted. At ribbons, Ca(2+) near the membrane rose rapidly during depolarization to levels >10 µM, whereas Ca(2+) at nonribbon locations rose more slowly to the lower level observed globally, consistent with selective positioning of Ca(2+) channels near ribbons. The local Ca(2+) domain drove rapid exocytosis of ribbon-associated synaptic vesicles nearest the plasma membrane, accounting for the fast component of neurotransmitter release. However, new vesicles replacing those lost arrived selectively at the opposite pole of the ribbon, distal to the membrane. Overall, the results suggest a model for fast release in which nanodomain Ca(2+) triggers exocytosis of docked vesicles, which are then replaced by more distant ribbon-attached vesicles, creating opportunities for new vesicles to associate with the ribbon at membrane-distal sites.
Collapse
|
26
|
Schmitz F. Presynaptic [Ca(2+)] and GCAPs: aspects on the structure and function of photoreceptor ribbon synapses. Front Mol Neurosci 2014; 7:3. [PMID: 24567702 PMCID: PMC3915146 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2014.00003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2013] [Accepted: 01/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Changes in intracellular calcium ions [Ca2+] play important roles in photoreceptor signaling. Consequently, intracellular [Ca2+] levels need to be tightly controlled. In the light-sensitive outer segments (OS) of photoreceptors, Ca2+ regulates the activity of retinal guanylate cyclases thus playing a central role in phototransduction and light-adaptation by restoring light-induced decreases in cGMP. In the synaptic terminals, changes of intracellular Ca2+ trigger various aspects of neurotransmission. Photoreceptors employ tonically active ribbon synapses that encode light-induced, graded changes of membrane potential into modulation of continuous synaptic vesicle exocytosis. The active zones of ribbon synapses contain large electron-dense structures, synaptic ribbons, that are associated with large numbers of synaptic vesicles. Synaptic coding at ribbon synapses differs from synaptic coding at conventional (phasic) synapses. Recent studies revealed new insights how synaptic ribbons are involved in this process. This review focuses on the regulation of [Ca2+] in presynaptic photoreceptor terminals and on the function of a particular Ca2+-regulated protein, the neuronal calcium sensor protein GCAP2 (guanylate cyclase-activating protein-2) in the photoreceptor ribbon synapse. GCAP2, an EF-hand-containing protein plays multiple roles in the OS and in the photoreceptor synapse. In the OS, GCAP2 works as a Ca2+-sensor within a Ca2+-regulated feedback loop that adjusts cGMP levels. In the photoreceptor synapse, GCAP2 binds to RIBEYE, a component of synaptic ribbons, and mediates Ca2+-dependent plasticity at that site. Possible mechanisms are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frank Schmitz
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical School Homburg/Saar, Saarland University Saarland, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Zampini V, Johnson SL, Franz C, Knipper M, Holley MC, Magistretti J, Masetto S, Marcotti W. Burst activity and ultrafast activation kinetics of CaV1.3 Ca²⁺ channels support presynaptic activity in adult gerbil hair cell ribbon synapses. J Physiol 2013; 591:3811-20. [PMID: 23713031 PMCID: PMC3764630 DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2013.251272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Auditory information transfer to afferent neurons relies on precise triggering of neurotransmitter release at the inner hair cell (IHC) ribbon synapses by Ca2+ entry through CaV1.3 Ca2+ channels. Despite the crucial role of CaV1.3 Ca2+ channels in governing synaptic vesicle fusion, their elementary properties in adult mammals remain unknown. Using near-physiological recording conditions we investigated Ca2+ channel activity in adult gerbil IHCs. We found that Ca2+ channels are partially active at the IHC resting membrane potential (−60 mV). At −20 mV, the large majority (>70%) of Ca2+ channel first openings occurred with an estimated delay of about 50 μs in physiological conditions, with a mean open time of 0.5 ms. Similar to other ribbon synapses, Ca2+ channels in IHCs showed a low mean open probability (0.21 at −20 mV), but this increased significantly (up to 0.91) when Ca2+ channel activity switched to a bursting modality. We propose that IHC Ca2+ channels are sufficiently rapid to transmit fast signals of sound onset and support phase-locking. Short-latency Ca2+ channel opening coupled to multivesicular release would ensure precise and reliable signal transmission at the IHC ribbon synapse.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Zampini
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Presynaptic maturation in auditory hair cells requires a critical period of sensory-independent spiking activity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013; 110:8720-5. [PMID: 23650376 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1219578110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of neural circuits relies on spontaneous electrical activity that occurs during immature stages of development. In the developing mammalian auditory system, spontaneous calcium action potentials are generated by inner hair cells (IHCs), which form the primary sensory synapse. It remains unknown whether this electrical activity is required for the functional maturation of the auditory system. We found that sensory-independent electrical activity controls synaptic maturation in IHCs. We used a mouse model in which the potassium channel SK2 is normally overexpressed, but can be modulated in vivo using doxycycline. SK2 overexpression affected the frequency and duration of spontaneous action potentials, which prevented the development of the Ca(2+)-sensitivity of vesicle fusion at IHC ribbon synapses, without affecting their morphology or general cell development. By manipulating the in vivo expression of SK2 channels, we identified the "critical period" during which spiking activity influences IHC synaptic maturation. Here we provide direct evidence that IHC development depends upon a specific temporal pattern of calcium spikes before sound-driven neuronal activity.
Collapse
|
29
|
Fuchs M, Sendelbeck A, Atorf J, Kremers J, Brandstätter JH. Strain differences in illumination-dependent structural changes at mouse photoreceptor ribbon synapses. J Comp Neurol 2013; 521:69-78. [PMID: 22678522 DOI: 10.1002/cne.23161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2012] [Revised: 05/11/2012] [Accepted: 06/01/2012] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Photoreceptor cells encode light signals over a wide range of intensities with graded changes in their membrane potential. At their highly specialized ribbon synapses they transmit the signals to the postsynaptic neurons by the tonic release of glutamate, which is continuously adjusted to changes in light intensity. Such a level of performance requires adaptive mechanisms, and it is suggested that illumination-dependent changes in ribbon shape and size are one of these adaptive processes. In this study we compared structural properties of synaptic ribbons under various illumination conditions between three mouse strains: the pigmented C57BL/6 and the two albino strains Balb/c and B6(Cg)-Tyr(c-2J) /J (coisogenic to C57BL/6). In addition, electroretinograms (ERGs) recorded in the same groups were compared. In the C57BL/6 mouse a change in illumination did not result in structural alterations of the synaptic ribbon. Similarly, in the B6(Cg)-Tyr(c-2J) /J mouse only minor structural changes were detected. In contrast, the state of adaptation had a large influence on the ribbon structure of the Balb/c mouse. The ERG recordings showed only small functional differences between C57BL/6 and B6(Cg)-Tyr(c-2J) /J mice, but the retinal function of Balb/c mice was strongly compromised. We conclude that illumination-dependent changes of photoreceptor ribbon structure differ between strains and thus cannot be regarded as a general mechanism for light adaptation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Fuchs
- Department of Biology, Animal Physiology, FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Hallermann S, Silver RA. Sustaining rapid vesicular release at active zones: potential roles for vesicle tethering. Trends Neurosci 2013; 36:185-94. [PMID: 23164531 PMCID: PMC4748400 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2012.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2012] [Revised: 10/18/2012] [Accepted: 10/21/2012] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Rapid information processing in our nervous system relies on high-frequency fusion of transmitter-filled vesicles at chemical synapses. Some sensory synapses possess prominent electron-dense ribbon structures that provide a scaffold for tethering synaptic vesicles at the active zone (AZ), enabling sustained vesicular release. Here, we review functional data indicating that some central and neuromuscular synapses can also sustain vesicle-fusion rates that are comparable to those of ribbon-type sensory synapses. Comparison of the ultrastructure across these different types of synapses, together with recent work showing that cytomatrix proteins can tether vesicles and speed vesicle reloading, suggests that filamentous structures may play a key role in vesicle supply. We discuss potential mechanisms by which vesicle tethering could contribute to sustained high rates of vesicle fusion across ribbon-type, central, and neuromuscular synapses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Hallermann
- European Neuroscience Institute Göttingen, Grisebachstrasse 5, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
| | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Spiwoks-Becker I, Lamberti R, Tom Dieck S, Spessert R. Evidence for synergistic and complementary roles of Bassoon and darkness in organizing the ribbon synapse. Neuroscience 2013; 236:149-59. [PMID: 23295987 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.12.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2012] [Revised: 11/30/2012] [Accepted: 12/09/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Ribbon synapses are tonically active high-throughput synapses. The performance of the ribbon synapse is accomplished by a specialization of the cytomatrix at the active zone (CAZ) referred to as the synaptic ribbon (SR). Progress in our understanding of the structure-function relationship at the ribbon synapse has come from observations that, in photoreceptors lacking a full-size scaffolding protein Bassoon (Bsn(ΔEx4/5)), dissociation of SRs coincides with perturbed signal transfer. The aim of the present study has been to elaborate the role of Bassoon as a structural organizer of the ribbon synapse and to differentiate it with regard to the ambient lighting conditions. The ultrastructure of retinal ribbon synapses has been compared between wild-type (Wt) and Bsn(ΔEx4/5) mice adapted to light (low activity) and darkness (high activity). The results obtained suggest that Bassoon and environmental illumination synergistically and complementarily act as organizers of the ribbon synapse. Thus, light-dependent and Bassoon-independent regulation involves initial SR tethering to the membrane and a basic shape transition of ribbon material from spherical to rod-like, since darkness induces these features in Bsn(ΔEx4/5) rod spherules. However, the tight anchorage of the SR via an arciform density and the proper assembly of SRs to the full-sized horseshoe-shaped complex depend on Bassoon, as these steps fail in Bsn(ΔEx4/5) rod spherules.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- I Spiwoks-Becker
- Institute of Microanatomy and Neurobiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, 55099 Mainz, Germany.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
32
|
Ceriani F, Mammano F. Calcium signaling in the cochlea - Molecular mechanisms and physiopathological implications. Cell Commun Signal 2012; 10:20. [PMID: 22788415 PMCID: PMC3408374 DOI: 10.1186/1478-811x-10-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2012] [Accepted: 07/12/2012] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Calcium ions (Ca2+) regulate numerous and diverse aspects of cochlear and vestibular physiology. This review focuses on the Ca2+ control of mechanotransduction and synaptic transmission in sensory hair cells, as well as on Ca2+ signalling in non-sensory cells of the developing cochlea.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Federico Ceriani
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia "G, Galilei", Università di Padova, 35131, Padova, Italy.
| | | |
Collapse
|
33
|
Cho S, von Gersdorff H. Ca(2+) influx and neurotransmitter release at ribbon synapses. Cell Calcium 2012; 52:208-16. [PMID: 22776680 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceca.2012.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2012] [Revised: 06/10/2012] [Accepted: 06/13/2012] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Ca(2+) influx through voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels triggers the release of neurotransmitters at presynaptic terminals. Some sensory receptor cells in the peripheral auditory and visual systems have specialized synapses that express an electron-dense organelle called a synaptic ribbon. Like conventional synapses, ribbon synapses exhibit SNARE-mediated exocytosis, clathrin-mediated endocytosis, and short-term plasticity. However, unlike non-ribbon synapses, voltage-gated L-type Ca(2+) channel opening at ribbon synapses triggers a form of multiquantal release that can be highly synchronous. Furthermore, ribbon synapses appear to be specialized for fast and high throughput exocytosis controlled by graded membrane potential changes. Here we will discuss some of the basic aspects of synaptic transmission at different types of ribbon synapses, and we will emphasize recent evidence that auditory and retinal ribbon synapses have marked differences. This will lead us to suggest that ribbon synapses are specialized for particular operating ranges and frequencies of stimulation. We propose that different types of ribbon synapses transfer diverse rates of sensory information by expressing a particular repertoire of critical components, and by placing them at precise and strategic locations, so that a continuous supply of primed vesicles and Ca(2+) influx leads to fast, accurate, and ongoing exocytosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Soyoun Cho
- The Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
34
|
Abstract
Vision is the most important of the senses for humans, and the retina is the first stage in the processing of light signals in the visual system. In the retina, highly specialized light-sensing neurons, the rod and cone photoreceptors, convert light into neural signals. These signals are extensively processed and filtered in the subsequent retinal network before transmitted to the higher visual centres in the brain, where the perception of viewed objects and scenes is finally constructed. A key feature of signal processing in the mammalian retina is parallel processing. Visual information is segregated in parallel pathways already at the rod and cone photoreceptor terminals, which provide multiple output synapses for the faithful encoding and transfer of the visual signals to the post-receptoral retinal network. This review aims at highlighting the current knowledge about the structural and functional pre- and post-synaptic specializations of rod and cone photoreceptor ribbon synapses, which belong to the most complex chemical synapses in the central nervous system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- H Regus-Leidig
- Animal Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
| | | |
Collapse
|
35
|
Acute destruction of the synaptic ribbon reveals a role for the ribbon in vesicle priming. Nat Neurosci 2011; 14:1135-41. [PMID: 21785435 PMCID: PMC3171202 DOI: 10.1038/nn.2870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2010] [Accepted: 05/25/2011] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In vision, balance and hearing, sensory receptor cells translate sensory stimuli into electrical signals whose amplitude is graded with stimulus intensity. The output synapses of these sensory neurons must provide fast signaling to follow rapidly changing stimuli while also transmitting graded information covering a wide range of stimulus intensity and must be able to sustain this signaling for long time periods. To meet these demands, specialized machinery for transmitter release, the synaptic ribbon, has evolved at the synaptic outputs of these neurons. We found that acute disruption of synaptic ribbons by photodamage to the ribbon markedly reduced both sustained and transient components of neurotransmitter release in mouse bipolar cells and salamander cones without affecting the ultrastructure of the ribbon or its ability to localize synaptic vesicles to the active zone. Our results indicate that ribbons mediate both slow and fast signaling at sensory synapses and support an additional role for the synaptic ribbon in priming vesicles for exocytosis at active zones.
Collapse
|
36
|
Abstract
The synaptic active zone, the site where Ca(2+)-triggered fusion of synaptic vesicles takes place, is commonly associated with protein-rich, electron-dense cytomatrices. The molecular composition and functional role of active zones, especially in the context of vesicular exo- and endocytosis, are under intense investigation. Per se, Drosophila synapses, which display so-called T-bars as electron-dense specializations, should be a highly suitable model system, as they allow for a combination of efficient genetics with ultrastructural and electrophysiological analyses. However, it needed a biochemical approach of the Buchner laboratory to "molecularly" access the T-bar by identification of the CAST/ERC-family member Bruchpilot as the first T-bar-residing protein. Genetic elimination of Bruchpilot revealed that the protein is essential for T-bar formation, calcium channel clustering, and hence proper vesicle fusion and patterned synaptic plasticity. Recently, Bruchpilot was shown to directly shape the T-bar, likely by adopting an elongated conformation. Moreover, first mechanisms that control the availability of Bruchpilot for T-bar assembly were described. This review seeks to summarize the information on T-bar structure, as well as on functional aspects, formulating the hypothesis that T-bars are genuine "plasticity modules."
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Wichmann
- NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | |
Collapse
|
37
|
Cone synapses in macaque fovea: II. Dendrites of OFF midget bipolar cells exhibit Inner Densities similar to their Outer synaptic Densities in basal contacts with cone terminals. Vis Neurosci 2011; 28:17-28. [DOI: 10.1017/s0952523810000465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
AbstractAs described in the companion paper, the synaptic terminal of a cone photoreceptor in macaque monkey makes an average of 35 or 46 basal contacts with the tips of the dendrites of its OFF midget bipolar cell. Each basal contact has one or more symmetrically thickened dense regions. These “Outer Densities,” averaging 48 or 67 in number, harbor clusters of ionotropic glutamate receptors and are ~0.8μm (and ~1-ms diffusion time) from active zones associated with synaptic ribbons. Here, we show similarly appearing “Inner Densities,” averaging 53 or 74 in number, located more proximally on the dendrites of these OFF midget bipolar cells, ~0.4μm inward from the tips of the dendrites and out of contact with the basal surface of the cone terminal. Compared to desmosome-like junctions, Inner Densities are closer to the terminal and are less dense and less thick. Each Inner Density is shared with another cell, the partners including diffuse bipolar cells, ON midget bipolar cells, and horizontal cells. Given the diversity of the partners, the OFF midget bipolar cells are unlikely to be in a synaptic relationship with the partners. Instead, Inner Densities are near enough to the active zones associated with synaptic ribbons to receive pulses of glutamate at concentrations effective for glutamate receptors. The role of Inner Densities is not known, but they might represent additional clusters of glutamate receptors.
Collapse
|
38
|
Hallermann S, Fejtova A, Schmidt H, Weyhersmüller A, Silver RA, Gundelfinger ED, Eilers J. Bassoon speeds vesicle reloading at a central excitatory synapse. Neuron 2011; 68:710-23. [PMID: 21092860 PMCID: PMC3004039 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2010.10.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/11/2010] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Sustained rate-coded signals encode many types of sensory modalities. Some sensory synapses possess specialized ribbon structures, which tether vesicles, to enable high-frequency signaling. However, central synapses lack these structures, yet some can maintain signaling over a wide bandwidth. To analyze the underlying molecular mechanisms, we investigated the function of the active zone core component Bassoon in cerebellar mossy fiber to granule cell synapses. We show that short-term synaptic depression is enhanced in Bassoon knockout mice during sustained high-frequency trains but basal synaptic transmission is unaffected. Fluctuation and quantal analysis as well as quantification with constrained short-term plasticity models revealed that the vesicle reloading rate was halved in the absence of Bassoon. Thus, our data show that the cytomatrix protein Bassoon speeds the reloading of vesicles to release sites at a central excitatory synapse.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Hallermann
- Carl Ludwig Institute of Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Liebigstrasse 27, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
39
|
Abstract
Hearing depends on reliable and temporally precise neurotransmission by cochlear hair cells. The wide dynamic range and high sensitivity with which these cells encode acoustic stimuli are associated with a presynaptic specialization termed the presynaptic dense body or synaptic ribbon. Apposed to the presynaptic density, this spherical or flattened structure tethers a layer of synaptic vesicles and is thought to facilitate their exocytotic fusion. Although defining the molecular constituents of the hair cell's synaptic ribbon should contribute to our understanding of neurotransmitter release at this synapse, accomplishing this task has been slowed by the difficulty of obtaining sufficient amounts of starting material for protein analysis from hair cells. We isolated synaptic material from chicken cochleas, purified synaptic ribbons with specific immunological reagents, and identified the associated proteins by tandem mass spectrometry. Purification of the ribbons revealed a predominant composition of C-terminal-binding proteins, especially ribeye, in association with the small GTPase Rab3, which is possibly involved in attaching vesicles to the ribbon. In comparison with the components of conventional synapses and of retinal ribbon synapses, we observed that certain regulatory proteins are excluded from the hair cell's synapse. Using antisera against several of the novel proteins and membrane-trafficking components that we had identified, we documented their localization in isolated hair cells. Our results indicate that the ribbon synapses of hair cells display modifications to the presynaptic machinery that are associated with the high-fidelity transmission of acoustic signals to the brain.
Collapse
|
40
|
Two modes of release shape the postsynaptic response at the inner hair cell ribbon synapse. J Neurosci 2010; 30:4210-20. [PMID: 20335456 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4439-09.2010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cochlear inner hair cells (IHCs) convert sounds into receptor potentials and via their ribbon synapses into firing rates in auditory nerve fibers. Multivesicular release at individual IHC ribbon synapses activates AMPA-mediated EPSCs with widely ranging amplitudes. The underlying mechanisms and specific role for multivesicular release in encoding sound are not well understood. Here we characterize the waveforms of individual EPSCs recorded from afferent boutons contacting IHCs and compare their characteristics in immature rats (postnatal days 8-11) and hearing rats (postnatal days 19-21). Two types of EPSC waveforms were found in every recording: monophasic EPSCs, with sharp rising phases and monoexponential decays, and multiphasic EPSCs, exhibiting inflections on rising and decaying phases. Multiphasic EPSCs exhibited slower rise times and smaller amplitudes than monophasic EPSCs. Both types of EPSCs had comparable charge transfers, suggesting that they were activated by the release of similar numbers of vesicles, which for multiphasic EPSCs occurred in a less coordinated manner. On average, a higher proportion of larger, monophasic EPSCs was found in hearing compared to immature rats. In addition, EPSCs became significantly faster with age. The developmental increase in size and speed could improve auditory signaling acuity. Multiphasic EPSCs persisted in hearing animals, in some fibers constituting half of the EPSCs. The proportion of monophasic versus multiphasic EPSCs varied widely across fibers, resulting in marked heterogeneity of amplitude distributions. We propose that the relative contribution of two modes of multivesicular release, generating monophasic and multiphasic EPSCs, may underlie fundamental characteristics of auditory nerve fibers.
Collapse
|
41
|
Jena BP. Functional organization of the porosome complex and associated structures facilitating cellular secretion. Physiology (Bethesda) 2010; 24:367-76. [PMID: 19996367 DOI: 10.1152/physiol.00021.2009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Porosomes, the universal secretory machinery at the cell plasma membrane, are cup-shaped supramolecular lipoprotein structures, where membrane-bound vesicles transiently dock and fuse to release intravesicular contents during cell secretion. In this review, the discovery of the porosome and its structure, dynamics, composition, and functional reconstitution are outlined. Furthermore, the architecture of porosome-like structures such as the "canaliculi system" in human platelets and various associated structures such as the T-bars at the Drosophila synapse or the "beams," "ribs," and "pegs" at the frog neuromuscular junction, each organized to facilitate a certain specialized secretory activity, are briefly discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bhanu P Jena
- Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Synaptotagmin IV determines the linear Ca2+ dependence of vesicle fusion at auditory ribbon synapses. Nat Neurosci 2009; 13:45-52. [PMID: 20010821 DOI: 10.1038/nn.2456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2009] [Accepted: 10/21/2009] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian cochlear inner hair cells (IHCs) are specialized for the dynamic coding of continuous and finely graded sound signals. This ability is largely conferred by the linear Ca(2+) dependence of neurotransmitter release at their synapses, which is also a feature of visual and olfactory systems. The prevailing hypothesis is that linearity in IHCs occurs through a developmental change in the Ca(2+) sensitivity of synaptic vesicle fusion from the nonlinear (high order) Ca(2+) dependence of immature spiking cells. However, the nature of the Ca(2+) sensor(s) of vesicle fusion at hair cell synapses is unknown. We found that synaptotagmin IV was essential for establishing the linear exocytotic Ca(2+) dependence in adult rodent IHCs and immature outer hair cells. Moreover, the expression of the hitherto undetected synaptotagmins I and II correlated with a high-order Ca(2+) dependence in IHCs. We propose that the differential expression of synaptotagmins determines the characteristic Ca(2+) sensitivity of vesicle fusion at hair cell synapses.
Collapse
|
43
|
Bartoletti TM, Babai N, Thoreson WB. Vesicle pool size at the salamander cone ribbon synapse. J Neurophysiol 2009; 103:419-23. [PMID: 19923246 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00718.2009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cone light responses are transmitted to postsynaptic neurons by changes in the rate of synaptic vesicle release. Vesicle pool size at the cone synapse constrains the amount of release and can thus shape contrast detection. We measured the number of vesicles in the rapidly releasable and reserve pools at cone ribbon synapses by performing simultaneous whole cell recording from cones and horizontal or off bipolar cells in the salamander retinal slice preparation. We found that properties of spontaneously occurring miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) are representative of mEPSCs evoked by depolarizing presynaptic stimulation. Strong, brief depolarization of the cone stimulated release of the entire rapidly releasable pool (RRP) of vesicles. Comparing charge transfer of the EPSC with mEPSC charge transfer, we determined that the fast component of the EPSC reflects release of approximately 40 vesicles. Comparing EPSCs with simultaneous presynaptic capacitance measurements, we found that horizontal cell EPSCs constitute 14% of the total number of vesicles released from a cone terminal. Using a fluorescent ribeye-binding peptide, we counted approximately 13 ribbons per cone. Together, these results suggest each cone contacts a single horizontal cell at approximately 2 ribbons. The size of discrete components in the EPSC amplitude histogram also suggested approximately 2 ribbon contacts per cell pair. We therefore conclude there are approximately 20 vesicles per ribbon in the RRP, similar to the number of vesicles contacting the plasma membrane at the ribbon base. EPSCs evoked by lengthy depolarization suggest a reserve pool of approximately 90 vesicles per ribbon, similar to the number of additional docking sites further up the ribbon.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Theodore M Bartoletti
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 4050 Durham Research Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5840, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
44
|
Kennedy B, Malicki J. What drives cell morphogenesis: a look inside the vertebrate photoreceptor. Dev Dyn 2009; 238:2115-38. [PMID: 19582864 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.22010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Vision mediating photoreceptor cells are specialized light-sensitive neurons in the outer layer of the vertebrate retina. The human retina contains approximately 130 million of such photoreceptors, which enable images of the external environment to be captured at high resolution and high sensitivity. Rod and cone photoreceptor subtypes are further specialized for sensing light in low and high illumination, respectively. To enable visual function, these photoreceptors have developed elaborate morphological domains for the detection of light (outer segments), for changing cell shape (inner segments), and for communication with neighboring retinal neurons (synaptic terminals). Furthermore, rod and cone subtypes feature unique morphological variations of these specialized characteristics. Here, we review the major aspects of vertebrate photoreceptor morphology and key genetic mechanisms that drive their formation. These mechanisms are necessary for cell differentiation as well as function. Their defects lead to cell death.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Breandán Kennedy
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland.
| | | |
Collapse
|
45
|
Abstract
Synaptic ribbons are organelles that tether vesicles at the presynaptic active zones of sensory neurons in the visual, auditory, and vestibular systems. These neurons generate sustained, graded electrical signals in response to sensory stimuli, and fidelity of transmission therefore requires their synapses to release neurotransmitter continuously at high rates. It has long been thought that the ribbons at the active zones of sensory synapses accomplish this task by enhancing the size and accessibility of the readily releasable pool of synaptic vesicles, which may represent the vesicles attached to the ribbon. Recent evidence suggests that synaptic ribbons immobilize vesicles in the resting cell and coordinate the transient, synchronous release of vesicles in response to stimulation, but it is not yet clear how the ribbon can efficiently mobilize and coordinate multiple vesicles for release. However, detailed anatomical, electrophysiological, and optical studies have begun to reveal the mechanics of release at ribbon synapses, and this multidisciplinary approach promises to reconcile structure, function, and mechanism at these important sensory synapses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisamarie LoGiudice
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, State University of New York, Stony Brook, New York 11794-5230, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
46
|
Role of the synaptic ribbon in transmitting the cone light response. Nat Neurosci 2009; 12:303-10. [PMID: 19219039 DOI: 10.1038/nn.2267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2008] [Accepted: 12/30/2008] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Cone photoreceptors distinguish small changes in light intensity while operating over a wide dynamic range. The cone synapse encodes intensity by modulating tonic neurotransmitter release, but precise encoding is limited by the quantal nature of synaptic vesicle exocytosis. Cones possess synaptic ribbons, structures that are thought to accelerate the delivery of vesicles for tonic release. Here we show that the synaptic ribbon actually constrains vesicle delivery, resulting in a maintained state of synaptic depression in darkness. Electron microscopy of cones from the lizard Anolis segrei revealed that depression is caused by the depletion of vesicles on the ribbon, indicating that resupply, not fusion, is the rate-limiting step that controls release. Responses from postsynaptic retinal neurons from the salamander Ambystoma tigrinum showed that the ribbon behaves like a capacitor, charging with vesicles in light and discharging in a phasic burst at light offset. Phasic release extends the operating range of the cone synapse to more accurately encode changes in light intensity, accentuating features that are salient to photopic vision.
Collapse
|
47
|
Förster JR, Lochnit G, Stöhr H. Proteomic analysis of the membrane palmitoylated protein-4 (MPP4)-associated protein complex in the retina. Exp Eye Res 2008; 88:39-48. [PMID: 18955048 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2008.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2008] [Revised: 09/17/2008] [Accepted: 09/19/2008] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Membrane palmitoylated protein-4 (MPP4) is a retina-specific scaffolding protein of the membrane-associated guanylate kinase family that has been implicated in organizing presynaptic protein complexes in the photoreceptor ribbon synapse. To isolate the components of this complex we applied a proteomic approach based on immunoaffinity chromatography with a monoclonal anti-MPP4 antibody followed by two-dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. Among the identified molecules were previously reported proteins of the MPP4 scaffolding complex including adaptor proteins Veli3 and Psd95. Here we demonstrate a selective association between MPP4 and the Psd95-beta isoform that is mediated by interaction of their N-terminal L27 domains. In addition, we have identified recoverin and Hsc70 as novel associated proteins of the MPP4 multiprotein complex in the retina. This study demonstrates the utility of anti-MPP4 antibody precipitation for the elucidation of the MPP4-associated protein complex, which is essential in understanding its precise role in signal transmission at the photoreceptor synapse.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Johanna R Förster
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
48
|
Wittig JH, Parsons TD. Synaptic ribbon enables temporal precision of hair cell afferent synapse by increasing the number of readily releasable vesicles: a modeling study. J Neurophysiol 2008; 100:1724-39. [PMID: 18667546 DOI: 10.1152/jn.90322.2008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Synaptic ribbons are classically associated with mediating indefatigable neurotransmitter release by sensory neurons that encode persistent stimuli. Yet when hair cells lack anchored ribbons, the temporal precision of vesicle fusion and auditory nerve discharges are degraded. A rarified statistical model predicted increasing precision of first-exocytosis latency with the number of readily releasable vesicles. We developed an experimentally constrained biophysical model to test the hypothesis that ribbons enable temporally precise exocytosis by increasing the readily releasable pool size. Simulations of calcium influx, buffered calcium diffusion, and synaptic vesicle exocytosis were stochastic (Monte Carlo) and yielded spatiotemporal distributions of vesicle fusion consistent with experimental measurements of exocytosis magnitude and first-spike latency of nerve fibers. No single vesicle could drive the auditory nerve with requisite precision, indicating a requirement for multiple readily releasable vesicles. However, plasmalemma-docked vesicles alone did not account for the nerve's precision--the synaptic ribbon was required to retain a pool of readily releasable vesicles sufficiently large to statistically ensure first-exocytosis latency was both short and reproducible. The model predicted that at least 16 readily releasable vesicles were necessary to match the nerve's precision and provided insight into interspecies differences in synaptic anatomy and physiology. We confirmed that ribbon-associated vesicles were required in disparate calcium buffer conditions, irrespective of the number of vesicles required to trigger an action potential. We conclude that one of the simplest functions ascribable to the ribbon--the ability to hold docked vesicles at an active zone--accounts for the synapse's temporal precision.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John H Wittig
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, 382 West Street Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
49
|
Spiwoks-Becker I, Maus C, tom Dieck S, Fejtová A, Engel L, Wolloscheck T, Wolfrum U, Vollrath L, Spessert R. Active zone proteins are dynamically associated with synaptic ribbons in rat pinealocytes. Cell Tissue Res 2008; 333:185-95. [PMID: 18523806 PMCID: PMC2757586 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-008-0627-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2007] [Accepted: 04/18/2008] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Synaptic ribbons (SRs) are prominent organelles that are abundant in the ribbon synapses of sensory neurons where they represent a specialization of the cytomatrix at the active zone (CAZ). SRs occur not only in neurons, but also in neuroendocrine pinealocytes where their function is still obscure. In this study, we report that pinealocyte SRs are associated with CAZ proteins such as Bassoon, Piccolo, CtBP1, Munc13–1, and the motorprotein KIF3A and, therefore, consist of a protein complex that resembles the ribbon complex of retinal and other sensory ribbon synapses. The pinealocyte ribbon complex is biochemically dynamic. Its protein composition changes in favor of Bassoon, Piccolo, and Munc13–1 at night and in favor of KIF3A during the day, whereas CtBP1 is equally present during the night and day. The diurnal dynamics of the ribbon complex persist under constant darkness and decrease after stimulus deprivation of the pineal gland by constant light. Our findings indicate that neuroendocrine pinealocytes possess a protein complex that resembles the CAZ of ribbon synapses in sensory organs and whose dynamics are under circadian regulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Spiwoks-Becker
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University, Becherweg 13, Mainz, Germany.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
50
|
Modes of vesicle retrieval at ribbon synapses, calyx-type synapses, and small central synapses. J Neurosci 2007; 27:11793-802. [PMID: 17978015 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3471-07.2007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
|