Effect of reduced calcium on excitatory transmitter release at the crayfish neuromuscular junction

Calcium currents, transmitter release and facilitation of release at voltage-clamped crayfish nerve terminals

1. The presynaptic terminals at crayfish (Procambarus spp.) opener neuromuscular junctions were voltage clamped. Calcium currents were measured during (ICa) and following (tail ICa) presynaptic depolarizations; EPSPs or IPSPs were simultaneously recorded from the (postsynaptic) muscle fibre directly beneath the presynaptic impalement. 2. For short (< or = 6 ms) presynaptic depolarizations, most of the transmitter release occurred during the tail ICa. EPSP or IPSP amplitudes at the end of the 6 ms pulse (end EPSP or end IPSP) increased monotonically with the integral of the ICa ([symbol: see text]ICa). The suppression potential for transmitter release was near the apparent reversal potential for ICa. 3. When the end EPSP or end IPSP amplitude was plotted against the peak ICa elicited during a presynaptic pulse (peak ICa), large and small depolarizations which evoked the same peak ICa evoked different amounts of transmitter release. The differences in transmitter release were eliminated when end EPSP amplitude was plotted against [symbol: see text] ICa, suggesting that transmitter release during a depolarization depends only upon calcium current and not upon a subsequent voltage-dependent step. 4. The synaptic transfer function of various measurements of EPSP or IPSP amplitude vs. [symbol: see text]ICa evoked during a presynaptic depolarization was a power function having an exponent of about 3. Similar measurements of EPSP amplitude vs. [symbol: see text]tail ICa evoked following a presynaptic depolarization had an exponent of about 2. 5. Facilitation of an EPSP or IPSP was not due to increases in calcium current at the test depolarization. 6. When the conditioning depolarization was increased and the test depolarization remained constant, EPSP amplitude at the test depolarization and facilitation increased . When the conditioning depolarization remained constant and the test depolarization was increased, EPSP amplitude at the test depolarization increased, while facilitation decreased. 7. Our data suggested that transmitter release at crayfish neuromuscular junctions is a non-linear function of calcium influx, and that facilitated release utilizes intracellular calcium differently from non-facilitated release. These data contradict simple models of facilitation which combine the residual calcium hypothesis with the calcium co-operativity hypothesis of non-facilitated release.

Calcium dependence of quantal release triggered by graded depolarization pulses to nerve terminals on crayfish and frog muscle

Quantal transmitter release was measured in small portions of neuromuscular junctions by means of a perfused macro-patch-clamp electrode. Release was elicited by graded current pulses through the recording electrode (excitation blocked by TTX). On increasing the stimulation current from a threshold amplitude, release rose steeply for several orders of magnitude and finally approached a saturation level of about 10 quanta/pulse. Reduction of the Ca concentration in the perfusate of the electrode, Cae, depressed the saturation level of release relatively little and had practically no effect on the threshold current amplitude, as long as the Ca concentration in the superfusion of the bath, Cab, remained high. When Cab was reduced too, the depression of release was more severe. The dependence of release on Cae was determined for a large range of Cae for saturating depolarization pulses. In crayfish, at 0 Cab, in double-logarithmic release-Cae plots the maximum slope was on average 3.9, and this slope dropped to on average 2.1 in 13.5 mM Cab. In frog, at 0 Cab, the respective double-logarithmic slope was 3.5, while in 1.8 mM Cab this slope declined dramatically, the rate of release decreasing on average only by a factor of 3.8 from 10 mM to 0.02 mM Cae. These results are interpreted by the assumption that the resting Ca concentration in the terminal, Cair, has strong influence on the rate of release due to depolarization pulses in low Cae, and that Cab has control on Cair in the terminal.

Post-tetanic decay of evoked and spontaneous transmitter release and a residual-calcium model of synaptic facilitation at crayfish neuromuscular junctions

The post-tetanic decay in miniature excitatory junction potential (MEJP) frequency and in facilitation of excitatory junction potentials (EJPs) was measured at crayfish neuromuscular junctions. A 2-s tetanus at 20 Hz caused the MEJP frequency to increase an average of 40 times and the EJP amplitude to increase an average of 13 times. Both MEJP frequency and EJP facilitation decayed with two time constants. The fast component of MEJP frequency decay was 47 ms, and that of EJP facilitation was 130 ms. The slow component of MEJP frequency decay was 0.57 s, and that of EJP facilitation was approximately 1 s. These results were consistent with the predictions of a residual calcium model, with a nonlinear relationship between presynaptic calcium concentration and transmitter release.

Neurotransmitter release and its facilitation in crayfish. I. Saturation kinetics of release, and of entry and removal of calcium

Release and facilitated release of transmitter at neuromuscular junctions of the crayfish Astacus were measured as a function of [Ca]0 at single junctions using a patch clamp technique. Tests were made of a quantitative model that relates release of transmitter to [Ca]i. The model assumes three processes, entry of Ca during the action potential, release of transmitter as a function of [Ca]i, and removal of Ca after the action potential. Each process is described alternatively by linear kinetics or saturation kinetics, and predictions for different combinations of the equations are given. The main findings were in agreement with those predicted by the "saturation" model. The amplitude of synaptic current varies non-linearly with [Ca]0, log-log plot yielding a slope of about 1.6. The degree of facilitation at long intervals is an increasing function of [Ca]0. In addition, the duration of facilitation is prolonged as [Ca]0 is increased, to saturate at [Ca]0 of 9 mM.

The effect of reduced calcium on quantal unit current and release at the crayfish neuromuscular junction

Excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) were recorded extracellularly from large muscle fibers by means of 'patch clamp' electrodes. Compared to usual extracellular recordings, better signal/noise ratio and temporal stability were achieved. In the range of extracellular calcium concentrations [Ca]0 between 2.7 and 13.5 mmol/l (normal), the average amplitude of the EPSC increased more than proportional to [Ca]0. The unit quantum current, C1, and the average release rate, m, were determined from EPSCs and also from spontaneous sEPSCs, using both Poisson and binomial statistics. The main effect of [Ca]0 was on m: at different synaptic sites m depended on the second to fourth power of [Ca]0. In terms of binomial parameters, the release probability p is the [Ca]0-dependent one. In addition, reduction of [Ca]0 from 13.5 to 2.7 mmol/l decreased the unit quantum C1 consistently to 60%; simultaneously the rise and decay of EPSCs and sEPSCs were shortened by 10-20%. [Ca]0 thus has strong presynaptic effects on the release probability, but in addition smaller ones on the postsynaptic channel characteristics.

Release of glutamate from the crayfish neuromuscular junction

1. The superficial abdominal flow flexor muscle was isolated from the crayfish (Cambarus clarkii) and placed in a bath solution of 100 microliters. The concentration of glutamate in this solution was measured by mass fragmentography using a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer. 2. The excitatory post-synaptic potential (e.p.s.p.) of the slow flexor muscle and its sensitivity to L-glutamate were similar to those observed in the opener muscle of the dactyl in the walking leg or claw of the crayfish. 3. The background efflux of glutamate during control rest periods was about 20 p-mole/10 min. Nerve stimulation caused a significant increase in the efflux of glutamate. The net release of glutamate above the background was 11.9 p-mole/100 microliters. at 10 Hz stimulation and 21.1 p-mole/100 microliters. at 20 Hz stimulation. 4. When the amplitude of e.p.s.p. was decreased by streptomycin, thereby reducing the muscle contraction, the net release of glutamate by nerve stimulation was not changed. Streptomycin depressed the e.p.s.p. by its action on the post-synaptic membrane. 5. When the external concentration of Ca was lowered, the amplitude of e.p.s.p. and the net release of glutamate were decreased. 6. It is concluded that L-glutamate is released from the nerve terminals of the crayfish neuromuscular junction.

Excitatory Neuromuscular transmission in crayfish: calcium dependence is unaffected by picrotoxin

Picrotoxin, 1 X 10(-5)M to 1.6 X 10(-3)M, had little or no effect on the amplitude of intracellularly recorded excitatory junctional potentials (EJPs) at extracellular calcium concentrations [Ca2+]0 ranging from 0.5 to 15 mM. The slope of the log EJP vs. log[Ca2+]0 relationship was approximately 1 with or without picrotoxin. The reduction EJP amplitude resulting from the addition of 5 X 10(-5)M GABA was largely reversed by 10(-5)M picrotoxin.

Facilitation and depression of synaptic transmission in amphibian sympathetic ganglia

There have been few reports concerning facilitation and depression in sympathetic ganglia9,17,40. In the present investigation, pairs of excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) were recorded intracellularly from bullfrog paravertebral sympathetic ganglia for an analysis of the site and mechanism responsible for the phenomena of facilitation and depression of ganglionic transmission. The ratio of the amplitude of the second of a depression of ganglionic transmission. The ratio of the amplitude of the second of a pair of EPSPs divided by the first was compared to the time interval between each pair of EPSPs divided by the first was compared to the time interval between each pulse. These ratios demonstrated two phases: an earlier phase of facilitation (20-500 msec pulse intervals) and a later phase of depression (500 msec-10 sec). Additional parameters-rate of rise of synaptic potentials (dV/dt), synaptic currents (EPSCs), and synaptic conductances (Gtr)-were determined and all confirmed the results obtained with EPSPs. Furthermore, the degree of facilitation or depression could be modulated by altering the extracellular concentration of calcium. On the other hand, comparison of the amplitude of pairs of presynaptic terminal spikes did not show any variability over similar stimulus intervals, nor were the amplitudes of miniature EPSPs significantly different before or after an evoked EPSP. Therefore, the processes of facilitation and depression of ganglionic transmission occur as a result of normal nerve terminal activity. The processes are occurring simultaneously, such that one or the other may predominate depending upon the interval between pulses, as well as the relative concentration of extracellular calcium.

Characteristics of crayfish neuromuscular facilitation and their calcium dependence

1. A quantitative description of facilitation in the crayfish claw opener muscle is presented. The facilitation of a test response following one or more conditioning stimuli, and the growth of facilitation during a tetanus, are measured.2. In superficial central fibres facilitation following one or more impulses can be described as the sum of two components which are both maximum at the end of the conditioning train and decline simultaneously and exponentially with different time constants thereafter.3. During a tetanus, facilitation to successive stimuli grows more rapidly than is predicted by assuming that each impulse adds a constant facilitative effect to an accumulating total state of facilitation.4. Sufficiently large values of tetanic facilitation are predicted by a model which assumes that transmitter release is proportional to the nth power of a substance or factor accumulating in nerve terminals. But no single value of n predicts the correct rise of facilitation in a tetanus and the time course of its subsequent decline from the facilitation following a single spike.5. A model which assumes that the facilitative effects of successive spikes multiply in a tetanus predicts responses that are larger than those observed.6. The effects of varying the calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)]) on transmitter release and facilitation were studied. When a magnesium-EDTA buffering system is used to vary [Ca(2+)], transmitter release is found to be nearly linearly related to [Ca(2+)] in the range 0.1-13.5 mM.7. The magnitude and time course of facilitation during and following a tetanus are unaffected by varying [Ca(2+)] between 1.0 and 40 mM.8. The relation between ;steady-state' facilitation and stimulus frequency is also unaffected by changing [Ca(2+)], except that in high [Ca(2+)] transmitter release appears to saturate at high frequencies (above 30 Hz).9. The results are discussed in terms of the ;calcium accumulation' hypothesis of facilitation. The findings in crayfish appear to be qualitatively consistent with this hypothesis if certain modifications are made in the hypothesis.

The effect of repetitive stimulation on facilitation of transmitter release at the frog neuromuscular junction

1. End-plate potentials (e.p.p.s) were recorded from frog neuromuscular junctions blocked with high Mg and/or low Ca to characterize the processes underlying increased transmitter release during repetitive stimulation.2. There was a progressive increase in the amplitude of successive e.p.p.s during repetitive stimulation. Increasing the frequency or duration of stimulation increased this facilitation of e.p.p. amplitudes. Facilitation is defined as the fractional increase in amplitude of a test e.p.p. over a control.3. By assuming that each impulse in a train contributes an identical increment of facilitation that sums linearly with the facilitation contributed by the previous impulses, estimates of the facilitation contributed by a single impulse, f(t), were made from the incremental increase in e.p.p. amplitudes during repetitive stimulation. The average value of f(t) contributed by the first impulse in the train during stimulation at 20/sec is given by f(t) = 0.8 e(-t/50) + 0.12 e (-t/300) + 0.025 e(-t/3000),where t is in msec. The first two terms in this equation were independent of the stimulation rate used to determine f(t) while the coefficient of the third term was a function of the stimulation rate, decreasing 2 to 3 times when the stimulation rate was decreased from 20/sec to 1/sec.4. This linear facilitation model predicted growth of e.p.p. amplitudes during the first several hundred msec of repetitive stimulation. Thereafter, e.p.p. amplitudes were typically facilitated more than predicted by the linear model.5. Several new methods are presented which can be used to obtain estimates of the magnitude and time course of facilitation contributed by specific impulses during repetitive stimulation.6. It is found that the value of short-term f(t) in the tested range of 25-300 msec progressively increases during repetitive stimulation while its time course of decay remains unchanged. After 9 sec of stimulation at 20/sec, the short-term f(t) increased to 1.4 times control.7. The increase in short-term f(t) was independent of whether it was determined from a step increase or decrease in total facilitation, excluding the possibility that the observed increase in short-term f(t) resulted from a change in the rate of decay of facilitation.8. It is suggested with supporting data from the following paper (Magleby, 1973) that each impulse contributes two types of facilitation that are responsible for the growth of e.p.p.s during repetitive stimulation: a short-term facilitation with linear summation properties described by the first two terms in the expression in paragraph 3 and a long-term cumulative facilitation approximated by the third term. The long-term facilitation is expressed as an increase in both the short-term facilitation and in the base level of transmitter release. The relative contribution of these two expressions of the long-term facilitation to the third term is a function of the stimulation rate and is given by the ratio of facilitation to the base level of transmitter release.

The kinetics of transmitter release at the frog neuromuscular junction

1. Fluctuations in the latency of focally recorded end-plate currents were analysed to determine the time course of the probabilistic presynaptic process underlying quantal release evoked after single nerve stimuli at the frog neuromuscular junction.2. The early falling phase of the presynaptic probability function can be fitted by a single exponential over two orders of magnitude of quantal release rate. The time constant of the early falling phase is about 0.5 msec at 11 degrees C, and increases with decreasing temperature with a Q(10) of at least 4 over the range 1-12 degrees C.3. After this early exponential fall, quantal release probability returns to control levels with a much slower time course.4. Conditioning nerve stimuli increase the magnitude and slightly prolong the early time course of release evoked by a test stimulus. When facilitation is calculated for matched time intervals following the conditioning and testing stimuli, it is found that the magnitude of the small, late residual tail of release is facilitated by a greater percentage than the magnitude of larger, early portions of release.5. These results are discussed in terms of the hypothesis (Katz & Miledi, 1968) that evoked release and facilitation are mediated by a common presynaptic factor which activates release in a non-linear manner.