Calcium sensitivity of neurotransmitter release differs at phasic and tonic synapses

Experimentally monitored calcium dynamics at synaptic active zones during neurotransmitter release in neuron-muscle cell cultures

Ca2+-dependent K+ (BK) channels at varicosities in Xenopus nerve-muscle cell cultures were used to quantify experimentally the instantaneous active zone [Ca2+]AZ resulting from different rates and durations of Ca2+ entry in the absence of extrinsic buffers and correlate this with neurotransmitter release. Ca2+ tail currents produce mean peak [Ca2+]AZ ~ 30 μM; with continued influx, [Ca2+]AZ reaches ~45-60 μM at different rates depending on Ca2+ driving force and duration of influx. Both IBK and release are dependent on Ca2+ microdomains composed of both N- and L-type Ca channels. Domains collapse with a time constant of ~0.6 ms. We have constructed an active zone (AZ) model that approximately fits this data, and depends on incorporation of the high-capacity, low-affinity fixed buffer represented by phospholipid charges in the plasma membrane. Our observations suggest that in this preparation, (1) some BK channels, but few if any of the Ca2+ sensors that trigger release, are located within Ca2+ nanodomains while a large fraction of both are located far enough from Ca channels to be blockable by EGTA, (2) the IBK is more sensitive than the excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC) to [Ca2+]AZ (K1/2-26 μM vs. ~36 μM [Ca2+]AZ); (3) with increasing [Ca2+]AZ, the IBK grows with a Hill coefficient of 2.5, the EPSC with a coefficient of 3.9; (4) release is dependent on the highest [Ca2+] achieved, independent of the time to reach it; (5) the varicosity synapses differ from mature frog nmjs in significant ways; and (6) BK channels are useful reporters of local [Ca2+]AZ.

GABAB receptors induce phasic release from medial habenula terminals through activity-dependent recruitment of release-ready vesicles

GABAB receptor (GBR) activation inhibits neurotransmitter release in axon terminals in the brain, except in medial habenula (MHb) terminals, which show robust potentiation. However, mechanisms underlying this enigmatic potentiation remain elusive. Here, we report that GBR activation on MHb terminals induces an activity-dependent transition from a facilitating, tonic to a depressing, phasic neurotransmitter release mode. This transition is accompanied by a 4.1-fold increase in readily releasable vesicle pool (RRP) size and a 3.5-fold increase of docked synaptic vesicles (SVs) at the presynaptic active zone (AZ). Strikingly, the depressing phasic release exhibits looser coupling distance than the tonic release. Furthermore, the tonic and phasic release are selectively affected by deletion of synaptoporin (SPO) and Ca2+-dependent activator protein for secretion 2 (CAPS2), respectively. SPO modulates augmentation, the short-term plasticity associated with tonic release, and CAPS2 retains the increased RRP for initial responses in phasic response trains. The cytosolic protein CAPS2 showed a SV-associated distribution similar to the vesicular transmembrane protein SPO, and they were colocalized in the same terminals. We developed the "Flash and Freeze-fracture" method, and revealed the release of SPO-associated vesicles in both tonic and phasic modes and activity-dependent recruitment of CAPS2 to the AZ during phasic release, which lasted several minutes. Overall, these results indicate that GBR activation translocates CAPS2 to the AZ along with the fusion of CAPS2-associated SVs, contributing to persistency of the RRP increase. Thus, we identified structural and molecular mechanisms underlying tonic and phasic neurotransmitter release and their transition by GBR activation in MHb terminals.

Physiologic and Nanoscale Distinctions Define Glutamatergic Synapses in Tonic vs Phasic Neurons

Neurons exhibit a striking degree of functional diversity, each one tuned to the needs of the circuitry in which it is embedded. A fundamental functional dichotomy occurs in activity patterns, with some neurons firing at a relatively constant "tonic" rate, while others fire in bursts, a "phasic" pattern. Synapses formed by tonic versus phasic neurons are also functionally differentiated, yet the bases of their distinctive properties remain enigmatic. A major challenge toward illuminating the synaptic differences between tonic and phasic neurons is the difficulty in isolating their physiological properties. At the Drosophila neuromuscular junction, most muscle fibers are coinnervated by two motor neurons: the tonic "MN-Ib" and phasic "MN-Is." Here, we used selective expression of a newly developed botulinum neurotoxin transgene to silence tonic or phasic motor neurons in Drosophila larvae of either sex. This approach highlighted major differences in their neurotransmitter release properties, including probability, short-term plasticity, and vesicle pools. Furthermore, Ca2+ imaging demonstrated ∼2-fold greater Ca2+ influx at phasic neuron release sites relative to tonic, along with an enhanced synaptic vesicle coupling. Finally, confocal and super-resolution imaging revealed that phasic neuron release sites are organized in a more compact arrangement, with enhanced stoichiometry of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels relative to other active zone scaffolds. These data suggest that distinctions in active zone nano-architecture and Ca2+ influx collaborate to differentially tune glutamate release at tonic versus phasic synaptic subtypes.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT "Tonic" and "phasic" neuronal subtypes, based on differential firing properties, are common across many nervous systems. Using a recently developed approach to selectively silence transmission from one of these two neurons, we reveal specialized synaptic functional and structural properties that distinguish these specialized neurons. This study provides important insights into how input-specific synaptic diversity is achieved, which could have implications for neurologic disorders that involve changes in synaptic function.

Cav2.2 Channels Sustain Vesicle Recruitment at a Mature Glutamatergic Synapse

The composition of voltage-gated Ca2+ channel (Cav) subtypes that gate action potential (AP)-evoked release changes during the development of mammalian CNS synapses. Cav2.2 and Cav2.3 lose their function in gating-evoked release during postnatal synapse maturation. In mature boutons, Cav2.1 currents provide the almost exclusive trigger for evoked release, and Cav2.3 currents are required for the induction of presynaptic long-term potentiation. However, the functional significance of Cav2.2 remained elusive in mature boutons, although they remain present at active zones and continue contributing significantly to presynaptic Ca2+ influx. Here, we addressed the functional significance of Cav2.2 and Cav2.3 at mature parallel-fiber (PF) to Purkinje neuron synapses of mice of either sex. These synapses are known to exhibit the corresponding developmental Cav subtype changes in gating release. We addressed two hypotheses, namely that Cav2.2 and Cav2.3 are involved in triggering spontaneous glutamate release and that they are engaged in vesicle recruitment during repetitive evoked release. We found that spontaneous miniature release is Ca2+ dependent. However, experiments with Cav subtype-specific blockers excluded the spontaneous opening of Cavs as the Ca2+ source for spontaneous glutamate release. Thus, neither Cav2.2 nor Cav2.3 controls spontaneous release from PF boutons. Furthermore, vesicle recruitment during brief bursts of APs was also independent of Ca2+ influx through Cav2.2 and Cav2.3. However, Cav2.2, but not Cav2.3, currents significantly boosted vesicle recruitment during sustained high-frequency synaptic transmission. Thus, in mature PF boutons Cav2.2 channels are specifically required to sustain synaptic transmission during prolonged neuronal activity.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT At young CNS synapses, action potential-evoked release is gated via three subtypes of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels: Cav2.1, Cav2.2, and Cav2.3. During postnatal maturation, Cav2.2 and Cav2.3 lose their function in gating evoked release, such that at mature synapses Cav2.1 provides the almost exclusive source for triggering evoked release. Cav2.3 currents are required for the induction of presynaptic long-term potentiation. However, the function of the still abundant Cav2.2 in mature boutons remained largely elusive. Here, we studied mature cerebellar parallel-fiber synapses and found that Cav2.2 does not control spontaneous release. However, Ca2+ influx through Cav2.2 significantly boosted vesicle recruitment during trains of action potentials. Thus, Cav2.2 in mature parallel-fiber boutons participate in sustaining synaptic transmission during prolonged activity.

Different priming states of synaptic vesicles underlie distinct release probabilities at hippocampal excitatory synapses

A stunning example of synaptic diversity is the postsynaptic target cell-type-dependent difference in synaptic efficacy in cortical networks. Here, we show that CA1 pyramidal cell (PC) to fast spiking interneuron (FSIN) connections have 10-fold larger release probability (P_v) than those on oriens lacunosum-moleculare (O-LM) interneurons. Freeze-fracture immunolabeling revealed that different nano-topologies and coupling distances between Ca²⁺ channels and release sites (RSs) are not responsible for the distinct P_v. Although [Ca²⁺] transients are 40% larger in FSINs innervating boutons, when [Ca²⁺] entry is matched in the two bouton populations, EPSCs in O-LM cells are still 7-fold smaller. However, application of a phorbol ester analog resulted in a ∼2.5-fold larger augmentation at PC - O-LM compared to PC - FSIN synapses, suggesting incomplete docking or priming of vesicles. Similar densities of docked vesicles rule out distinct RS occupancies and demonstrate that incompletely primed, but docked, vesicles limit the output of PC - O-LM synapses.

Microphysiological Modeling of the Structure and Function of Neuromuscular Transmitter Release Sites

The general mechanism of calcium-triggered chemical transmitter release from neuronal synapses has been intensely studied, is well-known, and highly conserved between species and synapses across the nervous system. However, the structural and functional details within each transmitter release site (or active zone) are difficult to study in living tissue using current experimental approaches owing to the small spatial compartment within the synapse where exocytosis occurs with a very rapid time course. Therefore, computer simulations offer the opportunity to explore these microphysiological environments of the synapse at nanometer spatial scales and on a sub-microsecond timescale. Because biological reactions and physiological processes at synapses occur under conditions where stochastic behavior is dominant, simulation approaches must be driven by such stochastic processes. MCell provides a powerful simulation approach that employs particle-based stochastic simulation tools to study presynaptic processes in realistic and complex (3D) geometries using optimized Monte Carlo algorithms to track finite numbers of molecules as they diffuse and interact in a complex cellular space with other molecules in solution and on surfaces (representing membranes, channels and binding sites). In this review we discuss MCell-based spatially realistic models of the mammalian and frog neuromuscular active zones that were developed to study presynaptic mechanisms that control transmitter release. In particular, these models focus on the role of presynaptic voltage-gated calcium channels, calcium sensors that control the probability of synaptic vesicle fusion, and the effects of action potential waveform shape on presynaptic calcium entry. With the development of these models, they can now be used in the future to predict disease-induced changes to the active zone, and the effects of candidate therapeutic approaches.

Heterogeneity of glutamatergic synapses: cellular mechanisms and network consequences

Chemical synapses are commonly known as a structurally and functionally highly diverse class of cell-cell contacts specialized to mediate communication between neurons. They represent the smallest "computational" unit of the brain and are typically divided into excitatory and inhibitory as well as modulatory categories. These categories are subdivided into diverse types, each representing a different structure-function repertoire that in turn are thought to endow neuronal networks with distinct computational properties. The diversity of structure and function found among a given category of synapses is referred to as heterogeneity. The main building blocks for this heterogeneity are synaptic vesicles, the active zone, the synaptic cleft, the postsynaptic density, and glial processes associated with the synapse. Each of these five structural modules entails a distinct repertoire of functions, and their combination specifies the range of functional heterogeneity at mammalian excitatory synapses, which are the focus of this review. We describe synapse heterogeneity that is manifested on different levels of complexity ranging from the cellular morphology of the pre- and postsynaptic cells toward the expression of different protein isoforms at individual release sites. We attempt to define the range of structural building blocks that are used to vary the basic functional repertoire of excitatory synaptic contacts and discuss sources and general mechanisms of synapse heterogeneity. Finally, we explore the possible impact of synapse heterogeneity on neuronal network function.

Calcium dependence of neurotransmitter release at a high fidelity synapse

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.

Rapid Ca2+ channel accumulation contributes to cAMP-mediated increase in transmission at hippocampal mossy fiber synapses

The cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent potentiation of neurotransmitter release is important for higher brain functions such as learning and memory. To reveal the underlying mechanisms, we applied paired pre- and postsynaptic recordings from hippocampal mossy fiber-CA3 synapses. Ca²⁺ uncaging experiments did not reveal changes in the intracellular Ca²⁺ sensitivity for transmitter release by cAMP, but suggested an increase in the local Ca²⁺ concentration at the release site, which was much lower than that of other synapses before potentiation. Total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy indicated a clear increase in the local Ca²⁺ concentration at the release site within 5 to 10 min, suggesting that the increase in local Ca²⁺ is explained by the simple mechanism of rapid Ca²⁺ channel accumulation. Consistently, two-dimensional time-gated stimulated emission depletion microscopy (gSTED) microscopy showed an increase in the P/Q-type Ca²⁺ channel cluster size near the release sites. Taken together, this study suggests a potential mechanism for the cAMP-dependent increase in transmission at hippocampal mossy fiber-CA3 synapses, namely an accumulation of active zone Ca²⁺ channels.

Useful Caged Compounds for Cell Physiology

Light has been instrumental in the study of living cells since its use helped in their discovery in the late 17th century. Further, combining chemical technology with light microscopy was an essential part of the Nobel Prize for Physiology in 1906. Such landmark scientific findings involved passive observation of cells. However, over the past 50 years, a "second use" of light has emerged in cell physiology, namely one of rational control. The seminal method for this emerged in late 1970s with the invention of caged compounds. This was the point when "caged compounds" were defined as optical probes in which the active functionality of a physiological signaling molecule was blocked with a photochemical protecting group. Caged compounds are analogous to prodrugs; in both, the activity of the effector is latent. However, caged compounds, unlike prodrugs, use a trigger that confers the power of full temporal and spatial manipulation of the effects of release of its latent biological cargo. Light is distinct because it is bio-orthogonal, passes through living tissue (even into the cell interior), and initiates rapid release of the "caged" biomolecule. Further, because light can be directed to broad areas or focused to small points, caged compounds offer an array of timing scenarios for physiologists to dissect virtually any type of cellular process.The collaborative interaction between chemists and physiologists plays a fundamental role in the development of caged compounds. First, the physiologists must define the problem to be addressed; then, with the help of chemists, decide if a caged compound would be useful. For this, structure-activity relationships of the potential optical probe and receptor must be determined. If rational targets seem feasible, synthetic organic chemistry is used to make the caged compound. The crucial property of prephotolysis bio-inertness relies on physiological or biochemical assays. Second, detailed optical characterization of the caged compound requires the skill of photochemists because the rate and efficiency of uncaging are also crucial properties for a useful caged compound. Often, these studies reveal limitations in the caged compound which has been developed; thus, chemists and physiologists use their abilities for iterative development of even more powerful optical probes. A similar dynamic will be familiar to scientists in the pharmaceutical industry. Therefore, caged compound development provides an excellent training framework for (young) chemists both intellectually and professionally. In this Account, I draw on my long experience in the field of making useful caged compounds for cell physiology by showing how each probe I have developed has been defined by an important physiological problem. Fundamental to this process has been my initial training by the pioneers in aromatic photochemistry, Derek Bryce-Smith and Andrew Gilbert. I discuss making a range of "caged calcium" probes, ones which went on to be the most widely used of all caged compounds. Then, I describe the development of caged neurotransmitters for two-photon uncaging microscopy. Finally, I survey recent work on making new photochemical protecting groups for wavelength orthogonal, two-color, and ultraefficient two-photon uncaging.

Crayfish and Drosophila NMJs

Many synaptic studies have utilized the experimental advantages of the Arthropod NMJ and the most prominent preparations have been the crayfish and Drosophila larval NMJs. Early cellular studies in the crayfish established the framework for later molecular studies in Drosophila. The two neuromuscular systems are compared including the advantages presented by each preparation for cellular analysis. Beginning with the early work in the crayfish, research developments are followed in the areas of structure/function relationships, activity-dependent synaptic plasticity/development and synaptic homeostasis. A reoccurring theme in these studies is the regulation of active zone structure and function. Early studies in the crayfish focused on the role of active zone number/size and possible functional heterogeneity in regulating transmitter release. Recent studies in Drosophila have begun to characterize this heterogeneity using new approaches that combine imaging of transmitter release, Ca²⁺ influx and molecular composition for individual active zones.

Control of Presynaptic Parallel Fiber Efficacy by Activity-Dependent Regulation of the Number of Occupied Release Sites

Parallel fiber (PF) synapses show pronounced and lasting facilitation during bursts of high-frequency activity. They typically connect to their target neurons via a single active zone (AZ), harboring few release sites (~2-8) with moderate initial vesicular release probability (~0.2-0.4). In light of these biophysical characteristics, it seems surprising that PF synapses can sustain facilitation during high-frequency periods of tens of action potentials (APs). Recent findings suggest an increase in the number of occupied release sites due to ultra-rapid (~180 s^-1), Ca²⁺ dependent recruitment of synaptic vesicles (SVs) from replenishment sites as major presynaptic mechanism of this lasting facilitation. On the molecular level, Synaptotagmin 7 or Munc13s have been suggested to be involved in mediating facilitation at PF synapses. The recruitment of SVs from replenishment sites appears to be reversible on a slower time-scale, thereby, explaining that PF synapses rapidly depress and ultimately become silent during low-frequency activity. Hence, PF synapses show high-frequency facilitation (HFF) but low-frequency depression (LFD). This behavior is explained by regulation of the number of occupied release sites at the AZ by AP frequency.

Synaptotagmin Ca2+ Sensors and Their Spatial Coupling to Presynaptic Cav Channels in Central Cortical Synapses

Ca²⁺ concentrations drop rapidly over a distance of a few tens of nanometers from an open voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channel (Ca_v), thereby, generating a spatially steep and temporally short-lived Ca²⁺ gradient that triggers exocytosis of a neurotransmitter filled synaptic vesicle. These non-steady state conditions make the Ca²⁺-binding kinetics of the Ca²⁺ sensors for release and their spatial coupling to the Ca_vs important parameters of synaptic efficacy. In the mammalian central nervous system, the main release sensors linking action potential mediated Ca²⁺ influx to synchronous release are Synaptotagmin (Syt) 1 and 2. We review here quantitative work focusing on the Ca²⁺ kinetics of Syt2-mediated release. At present similar quantitative detail is lacking for Syt1-mediated release. In addition to triggering release, Ca²⁺ remaining bound to Syt after the first of two successive high-frequency activations was found to be capable of facilitating release during the second activation. More recently, the Ca²⁺ sensor Syt7 was identified as additional facilitation sensor. We further review how several recent functional studies provided quantitative insights into the spatial topographical relationships between Syts and Ca_vs and identified mechanisms regulating the sensor-to-channel coupling distances at presynaptic active zones. Most synapses analyzed in matured cortical structures were found to operate at tight, nanodomain coupling. For fast signaling synapses a developmental switch from loose, microdomain to tight, nanodomain coupling was found. The protein Septin5 has been known for some time as a developmentally down-regulated “inhibitor” of tight coupling, while Munc13-3 was found only recently to function as a developmentally up-regulated mediator of tight coupling. On the other hand, a highly plastic synapse was found to operate at loose coupling in the matured hippocampus. Together these findings suggest that the coupling topography and its regulation is a specificity of the type of synapse. However, to definitely draw such conclusion our knowledge of functional active zone topographies of different types of synapses in different areas of the mammalian brain is too incomplete.

Inter-relationships among physical dimensions, distal-proximal rank orders, and basal GCaMP fluorescence levels in Ca2+ imaging of functionally distinct synaptic boutons at Drosophila neuromuscular junctions

GCaMP imaging is widely employed for investigating neuronal Ca²⁺ dynamics. The Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ) consists of three distinct types of motor terminals (type Ib, Is and II). We investigated whether variability in synaptic bouton sizes and GCaMP expression levels confound interpretations of GCaMP readouts, in inferring the intrinsic Ca²⁺ handling properties among these functionally distinct synapses. Analysis of large data sets accumulated over years established the wide ranges of bouton sizes and GCaMP baseline fluorescence, with large overlaps among synaptic categories. We showed that bouton size and GCaMP baseline fluorescence were not confounding factors in determining the characteristic frequency responses among type Ib, Is and II synapses. More importantly, the drastic phenotypes that hyperexcitability mutations manifest preferentially in particular synaptic categories, were not obscured by bouton heterogeneity in physical size and GCaMP expression level. Our data enabled an extensive analysis of the distal-proximal gradient of GCaMP responses upon genetic and pharmacological manipulations. The results illustrate the conditions that disrupt or enhance the distal-proximal gradients. For example, stimulus frequencies just above the threshold level produced the steepest gradient in low Ca²⁺ (0.1 mM) saline, while supra-threshold stimulation flattened the gradient. Moreover, membrane hyperexcitability mutations (eag¹ Sh¹²⁰ and para^bss1) and mitochondrial inhibition by dinitrophenol (DNP) disrupted the gradient. However, a novel distal-proximal gradient of decay kinetics appeared after long-term DNP incubation. We performed focal recording to assess the failure rates in transmission at low Ca²⁺ levels, which yielded indications of a mild distal-proximal gradient in release probability.

Fifty years my mentor: Harold Atwood

While readers of Journal of Neurogenetics may be familiar with Harold Atwood's work with Drosophila, most may know little of his previous work on crustacean neuromuscular systems that prepared him to utilise Drosophila neuromuscular junctions. Here, I will give brief overviews of his academic career, one line of his research that persisted throughout his career and his entry to the Drosophila field. This is not a review paper. Finally, I will relate my experiences with Atwood since 1967 as an undergraduate, Postdoctoral Fellow, and Faculty member and finish with some personal anecdotal observations.

Regulation of synaptic release-site Ca2+ channel coupling as a mechanism to control release probability and short-term plasticity

Synaptic transmission relies on the rapid fusion of neurotransmitter-containing synaptic vesicles (SVs), which happens in response to action potential (AP)-induced Ca²⁺ influx at active zones (AZs). A highly conserved molecular machinery cooperates at SV-release sites to mediate SV plasma membrane attachment and maturation, Ca²⁺ sensing, and membrane fusion. Despite this high degree of conservation, synapses - even within the same organism, organ or neuron - are highly diverse regarding the probability of APs to trigger SV fusion. Additionally, repetitive activation can lead to either strengthening or weakening of transmission. In this review, we discuss mechanisms controlling release probability and this short-term plasticity. We argue that an important layer of control is exerted by evolutionarily conserved AZ scaffolding proteins, which determine the coupling distance between SV fusion sites and voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channels (VGCC) and, thereby, shape synapse-specific input/output behaviors. We propose that AZ-scaffold modifications may occur to adapt the coupling distance during synapse maturation and plastic regulation of synapse strength.

Adult-onset of mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) syndrome with hypothyroidism and psychiatric disorders

Mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) is a clinical syndrome associated with mitochondrial disorders (MIDs). This report illustrates a case of MELAS syndrome with hypothyroidism and psychiatric disorders, which is different from the common clinical manifestations of MELAS syndrome, such as exercise intolerance, migraine-like headaches, hearing loss and seizures etc. There are considerable interests in the possibility that mitochondrial dysfunction may play a role in the pathogenesis of endocrine dysfunctions and psychiatric disorders in MELAS syndrome.

Frequency-dependent mobilization of heterogeneous pools of synaptic vesicles shapes presynaptic plasticity

The segregation of the readily releasable pool of synaptic vesicles (RRP) in sub-pools that are differentially poised for exocytosis shapes short-term plasticity. However, the frequency-dependent mobilization of these sub-pools is poorly understood. Using slice recordings and modeling of synaptic activity at cerebellar granule cell to Purkinje cell synapses of mice, we describe two sub-pools in the RRP that can be differentially recruited upon ultrafast changes in the stimulation frequency. We show that at low-frequency stimulations, a first sub-pool is gradually silenced, leading to full blockage of synaptic transmission. Conversely, a second pool of synaptic vesicles that cannot be released by a single stimulus is recruited within milliseconds by high-frequency stimulation and support an ultrafast recovery of neurotransmitter release after low-frequency depression. This frequency-dependent mobilization or silencing of sub-pools in the RRP in terminals of granule cells may play a role in the filtering of sensorimotor information in the cerebellum.

Models of Short-Term Synaptic Plasticity

We focus on dynamical descriptions of short-term synaptic plasticity. Instead of focusing on the molecular machinery that has been reviewed recently by several authors, we concentrate on the dynamics and functional significance of synaptic plasticity, and review some mathematical models that reproduce different properties of the dynamics of short term synaptic plasticity that have been observed experimentally. The complexity and shortcomings of these models point to the need of simple, yet physiologically meaningful models. We propose a simplified model to be tested in synapses displaying different types of short-term plasticity.

A use-dependent increase in release sites drives facilitation at calretinin-deficient cerebellar parallel-fiber synapses

Endogenous Ca(2+)-binding proteins affect synaptic transmitter release and short-term plasticity (STP) by buffering presynaptic Ca(2+) signals. At parallel-fiber (PF)-to-Purkinje neuron (PN) synapses in the cerebellar cortex loss of calretinin (CR), the major buffer at PF terminals, results in increased presynaptic Ca(2+) transients and an almost doubling of the initial vesicular releases probability (p r). Surprisingly, however, it has been reported that loss of CR from PF synapses does not alter paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), while it affects presynaptic Ca(2+) signals as well as p r. Here, we addressed this puzzling observation by analyzing the frequency- and Ca(2+)-dependence of PPF at unitary PF-to-PN synapses of wild-type (WT) and CR-deficient (CR(-/-)) mice using paired recordings and computer simulations. Our analysis revealed that PPF in CR(-/-) is indeed smaller than in the WT, to a degree, however, that indicates that rapid vesicle replenishment and recruitment of additional release sites dominate the synaptic efficacy of the second response. These Ca(2+)-driven processes operate more effectively in the absence of CR, thereby, explaining the preservation of robust PPF in the mutants.

New insights into short-term synaptic facilitation at the frog neuromuscular junction

Short-term synaptic facilitation occurs during high-frequency stimulation, is known to be dependent on presynaptic calcium ions, and persists for tens of milliseconds after a presynaptic action potential. We have used the frog neuromuscular junction as a model synapse for both experimental and computer simulation studies aimed at testing various mechanistic hypotheses proposed to underlie short-term synaptic facilitation. Building off our recently reported excess-calcium-binding-site model of synaptic vesicle release at the frog neuromuscular junction (Dittrich M, Pattillo JM, King JD, Cho S, Stiles JR, Meriney SD. Biophys J 104: 2751-2763, 2013), we have investigated several mechanisms of short-term facilitation at the frog neuromuscular junction. Our studies place constraints on previously proposed facilitation mechanisms and conclude that the presence of a second class of calcium sensor proteins distinct from synaptotagmin can explain known properties of facilitation observed at the frog neuromuscular junction. We were further able to identify a novel facilitation mechanism, which relied on the persistent binding of calcium-bound synaptotagmin molecules to lipids of the presynaptic membrane. In a real physiological context, both mechanisms identified in our study (and perhaps others) may act simultaneously to cause the experimentally observed facilitation. In summary, using a combination of computer simulations and physiological recordings, we have developed a stochastic computer model of synaptic transmission at the frog neuromuscular junction, which sheds light on the facilitation mechanisms in this model synapse.

SNARE zippering and synaptic strength

Synapses vary widely in the probability of neurotransmitter release. We tested the hypothesis that the zippered state of the trans-SNARE (Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor Attachment protein REceptor) complex determines initial release probability. We tested this hypothesis at phasic and tonic synapses which differ by 100-1000-fold in neurotransmitter release probability. We injected, presynaptically, three Clostridial neurotoxins which bind and cleave at different sites on VAMP to determine whether these sites were occluded by the zippering of the SNARE complex or open to proteolytic attack. Under low stimulation conditions, the catalytic light-chain fragment of botulinum B (BoNT/B-LC) inhibited evoked release at both phasic and tonic synapses and cleaved VAMP; however, neither BoNT/D-LC nor tetanus neurotoxin (TeNT-LC) were effective in these conditions. The susceptibility of VAMP to only BoNT/B-LC indicated that SNARE complexes at both phasic and tonic synapses were partially zippered only at the N-terminal end to approximately the zero-layer with the C-terminal end exposed under resting state. Therefore, the existence of the same partially zippered state of the trans-SNARE complex at both phasic and tonic synapses indicates that release probability is not determined solely by the zippered state of the trans-SNARE complex at least to the zero-layer.

An excess-calcium-binding-site model predicts neurotransmitter release at the neuromuscular junction

Despite decades of intense experimental studies, we still lack a detailed understanding of synaptic function. Fortunately, using computational approaches, we can obtain important new insights into the inner workings of these important neural systems. Here, we report the development of a spatially realistic computational model of an entire frog active zone in which we constrained model parameters with experimental data, and then used Monte Carlo simulation methods to predict the Ca(2+)-binding stoichiometry and dynamics that underlie neurotransmitter release. Our model reveals that 20-40 independent Ca(2+)-binding sites on synaptic vesicles, only a fraction of which need to bind Ca(2+) to trigger fusion, are sufficient to predict physiological release. Our excess-Ca(2+)-binding-site model has many functional advantages, agrees with recent data on synaptotagmin copy number, and is the first (to our knowledge) to link detailed physiological observations with the molecular machinery of Ca(2+)-triggered exocytosis. In addition, our model provides detailed microscopic insight into the underlying Ca(2+) dynamics during synapse activation.

Calcium, calpain, and calcineurin in low-frequency depression of transmitter release

Low-frequency depression (LFD) of transmitter release occurs at phasic synapses with stimulation at 0.2 Hz in both isolated crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) neuromuscular junction (NMJ) preparations and in intact animals. LFD is regulated by presynaptic activity of the Ca(2+)-dependent phosphatase calcineurin (Silverman-Gavrila and Charlton, 2009). Since the fast Ca(2+) chelator BAPTA-AM inhibits LFD but the slow chelator EGTA-AM does not, the Ca(2+) sensor for LFD may be close to a Ca(2+) source at active zones. Calcineurin can be activated by the Ca(2+)-activated protease calpain, and immunostaining showed that both proteins are present at nerve terminals. Three calpain inhibitors, calpain inhibitor I, MDL-28170, and PD150606, but not the control compound PD145305, inhibit LFD both in the intact animal as shown by electromyograms and by intracellular recordings at neuromuscular junctions. Analysis of mini-EPSPs indicated that these inhibitors had minimal postsynaptic effects. Proteolytic activity in CNS extract, detected by a fluorescent calpain substrate, was modulated by Ca(2+) and calpain inhibitors. Western blot analysis of CNS extract showed that proteolysis of calcineurin to a fragment consistent with the constitutively active form required Ca(2+) and was blocked by calpain inhibitors. Inhibition of LFD by calpain inhibition blocks the reduction in phosphoactin and the depolymerization of tubulin that normally occurs in LFD, probably by blocking the dephosphorylation of cytoskeletal proteins by calcineurin. In contrast, high-frequency depression does not involve protein phosphorylation- or calpain-dependent mechanisms. LFD may involve a specific pathway in which local Ca(2+) signaling activates presynaptic calpain and calcineurin at active zones and causes changes of tubulin cytoskeleton.

Distinct Initial SNARE Configurations Underlying the Diversity of Exocytosis

The dynamics of exocytosis are diverse and have been optimized for the functions of synapses and a wide variety of cell types. For example, the kinetics of exocytosis varies by more than five orders of magnitude between ultrafast exocytosis in synaptic vesicles and slow exocytosis in large dense-core vesicles. However, in all cases, exocytosis is mediated by the same fundamental mechanism, i.e., the assembly of soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins. It is often assumed that vesicles need to be docked at the plasma membrane and SNARE proteins must be preassembled before exocytosis is triggered. However, this model cannot account for the dynamics of exocytosis recently reported in synapses and other cells. For example, vesicles undergo exocytosis without prestimulus docking during tonic exocytosis of synaptic vesicles in the active zone. In addition, epithelial and hematopoietic cells utilize cAMP and kinases to trigger slow exocytosis of nondocked vesicles. In this review, we summarize the manner in which the diversity of exocytosis reflects the initial configurations of SNARE assembly, including trans-SNARE, binary-SNARE, unitary-SNARE, and cis-SNARE configurations. The initial SNARE configurations depend on the particular SNARE subtype (syntaxin, SNAP25, or VAMP), priming proteins (Munc18, Munc13, CAPS, complexin, or snapin), triggering proteins (synaptotagmins, Doc2, and various protein kinases), and the submembraneous cytomatrix, and they are the key to determining the kinetics of subsequent exocytosis. These distinct initial configurations will help us clarify the common SNARE assembly processes underlying exocytosis and membrane trafficking in eukaryotic cells.

Serotonin and synaptic transmission at invertebrate neuromuscular junctions

The serotonergic system in vertebrates and invertebrates has been a focus for over 50 years and will likely continue in the future. Recently, genomic analysis and discovery of alternative splicing and differential expression in tissues have increased the knowledge of serotonin (5-HT) receptor types. Comparative studies can provide useful insights to the wide variety of mechanistic actions of 5-HT responsible for behaviors regulated or modified by 5-HT. To determine cellular responses and influences on neural systems as well as the efferent control of behaviors by the motor units, preparations amenable to detailed studies of synapses are beneficial as working models. The invertebrate neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) offer some unique advantages for such investigations; action of 5-HT at crustacean NMJs has been widely studied, and leech and Aplysia continue to be key organisms. However, there are few studies in insects likely due to the focus in modulation within the CNS and lack of evidence of substantial action of 5-HT at the Drosophila NMJs. There are only a few reports in gastropods and annelids as well as other invertebrates. In this review we highlight some of the key findings of 5-HT actions and receptor types associated at NMJs in a variety of invertebrate preparations in hopes that future studies will build on this knowledge base.

Physiological recordings of high and low output NMJs on the crayfish leg extensor muscle

We explain in detail how to expose and conduct electrophysiological recordings of synaptic responses for high (phasic) and low (tonic) output motor neurons innervating the extensor muscle in the walking leg of a crayfish. Distinct differences are present in the physiology and morphology of the phasic and tonic nerve terminals. The tonic axon contains many more mitochondria, enabling it to take a vital stain more intensely than the phasic axon. The tonic terminals have varicosities, and the phasic terminal is filiform. The tonic terminals are low in synaptic efficacy but show dramatic facilitated responses. In contrast, the phasic terminals are high in quantal efficacy but show synaptic depression with high frequency stimulation. The quantal output is measured with a focal macropatch electrode placed directly over the visualized nerve terminals. Both phasic and tonic terminals innervate the same muscle fibers, which suggests that inherent differences in the neurons, rather than differential retrograde feedback from the muscle, account for the morphological and physiological differentiation.

Structure/function assessment of synapses at motor nerve terminals

The release of transmitter at neuromuscular junctions (NMJ) of the opener muscle in crayfish is quantal in nature. This NMJ offers the advantage of being able to record quantal events at specific visually identified release sites, thus allowing measurement of the physiological parameters of vesicle release and its response to be directly correlated with synaptic structure. These experiments take advantage of areas between the varicosities on the nerve terminal that we define as "stems." Stems were chosen as the region to study because of their low synaptic output due to fewer synaptic sites. Through 3D reconstruction from hundreds of serial sections, obtained by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), at a site in which focal macropatch recordings were obtained, the number of synapses and AZs are revealed. Thus, physiological profiles with various stimulation conditions can be assessed in regards to direct synaptic structure. Here, we used the properties of the quantal shape to determine if distinct subsets of quantal signatures existed and if differences in the distributions are present depending on the frequency of stimulation. Such a quantal signature could come about by parameters of area, rise time, peak amplitude, latency, and tau decay. In this study, it is shown that even at defined sites on the stem, with few active zones, synaptic transmission is still complex and the quantal responses appear to be variable even for a given synapse over time. In this study, we could not identify a quantal signature for the conditions utilized.

Control of neurotransmitter release: From Ca2+ to voltage dependent G-protein coupled receptors

This review discusses two theories that try to explain mechanisms of control of neurotransmitter release in fast synapses: the Ca(2+) hypothesis and the Ca(2+) voltage hypothesis. The review summarizes experimental results that are incompatible with predictions from the Ca(2+) hypothesis and concludes that Ca(2+) is involved in the control of the amount of release but not in the control of the time course of evoked release, i.e., initiation and termination of evoked release. Results summarizing direct effects of changes in membrane potential on the release machinery are then presented. These changes in membrane potential affect the affinity (for the transmitter) of presynaptic autoinhibitory G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). The voltage dependence of these GPCRs and their pivotal role in determining the time course of evoked release is discussed.

SV2 acts via presynaptic calcium to regulate neurotransmitter release

Synaptic vesicle 2 (SV2) proteins, critical for proper nervous system function, are implicated in human epilepsy, yet little is known about their function. We demonstrate, using direct approaches, that loss of the major SV2 isoform in a central nervous system nerve terminal is associated with an elevation in both resting and evoked presynaptic Ca(2+) signals. This increase is essential for the expression of the SV2B(-/-) secretory phenotype, characterized by changes in synaptic vesicle dynamics, synaptic plasticity, and synaptic strength. Short-term reproduction of the Ca(2+) phenotype in wild-type nerve terminals reproduces almost all aspects of the SV2B(-/-) secretory phenotype, while rescue of the Ca(2+) phenotype in SV2B(-/-) neurons relieves every facet of the SV2B(-/-) secretory phenotype. Thus, SV2 controls key aspects of synaptic functionality via its ability to regulate presynaptic Ca(2+), suggesting a potential new target for therapeutic intervention in the treatment of epilepsy.

The molecular physiology of activity-dependent bulk endocytosis of synaptic vesicles

Central nerve terminals release neurotransmitter in response to a wide variety of stimuli. Because maintenance of neurotransmitter release is dependent on the continual supply of synaptic vesicles (SVs), nerve terminals possess an array of endocytosis modes to retrieve and recycle SV membrane and proteins. During mild stimulation conditions, single SV retrieval modes such as clathrin-mediated endocytosis predominate. However, during increased neuronal activity, additional SV retrieval capacity is required, which is provided by activity-dependent bulk endocytosis (ADBE). ADBE is the dominant SV retrieval mechanism during elevated neuronal activity. It is a high capacity SV retrieval mode that is immediately triggered during such stimulation conditions. This review will summarize the current knowledge regarding the molecular mechanism of ADBE, including molecules required for its triggering and subsequent steps, including SV budding from bulk endosomes. The molecular relationship between ADBE and the SV reserve pool will also be discussed. It is becoming clear that an understanding of the molecular physiology of ADBE will be of critical importance in attempts to modulate both normal and abnormal synaptic function during intense neuronal activity.

A general model of synaptic transmission and short-term plasticity

Some synapses transmit strongly to action potentials (APs), but weaken with repeated activation; others transmit feebly at first, but strengthen with sustained activity. We measured synchronous and asynchronous transmitter release at "phasic" crayfish neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) showing depression and at facilitating "tonic" junctions, and define the kinetics of depression and facilitation. We offer a comprehensive model of presynaptic processes, encompassing mobilization of reserve vesicles, priming of docked vesicles, their association with Ca(2+) channels, and refractoriness of release sites, while accounting for data on presynaptic buffers governing Ca(2+) diffusion. Model simulations reproduce many experimentally defined aspects of transmission and plasticity at these synapses. Their similarity to vertebrate central synapses suggests that the model might be of general relevance to synaptic transmission.

Role of ATP-dependent calcium regulation in modulation of Drosophila synaptic thermotolerance

Maintenance of synaptic transmission requires regulation of intracellular Ca(2+) in presynaptic nerve terminals; loss of this regulation at elevated temperatures may cause synaptic failure. Accordingly, we examined the thermosensitivity of presynaptic calcium regulation in Drosophila larval neuromuscular junctions, testing for effects of disrupting calcium clearance. Motor neurons were loaded with the ratiometric Ca(2+) indicator Fura-dextran to monitor calcium regulation as temperature increased. Block of the Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger or removal of extracellular Ca(2+) prevented the normal temperature-induced increase in resting calcium. Conversely, two treatments that interfered with Ca(2+) clearance-inactivation of the endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase with thapsigargin and inhibition of the plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase with high pH-significantly accelerated the temperature-induced rise in resting Ca(2+) concentration and reduced the thermotolerance of synaptic transmission. Disrupting Ca(2+)-ATPase function by interfering with energy production also facilitated the temperature-induced rise in resting [Ca(2+)] and reduced thermotolerance of synaptic transmission. Conversely, fortifying energy levels with extra intracellular ATP extended the operating temperature range of both synaptic transmission and Ca(2+) regulation. In each of these cases, Ca(2+) elevations evoked by an electrical stimulation of the nerve (evoked Ca(2+) responses) failed when resting Ca(2+) remained >e 200 nM for several minutes. Failure of synaptic function was correlated with the release of intracellular calcium stores, and we provide evidence suggesting that release from the mitochondria disrupts evoked calcium responses and synaptic transmission. Thus the thermal limit of synaptic transmission may be directly linked to the stability of ATP-dependent mechanisms that regulate intracellular ion concentrations in the nerve terminal.

Fos and Jun potentiate individual release sites and mobilize the reserve synaptic vesicle pool at the Drosophila larval motor synapse

In all nervous systems, short-term enhancement of transmitter release is achieved by increasing the weights of unitary synapses; in contrast, long-term enhancement, which requires nuclear gene expression, is generally thought to be mediated by the addition of new synaptic vesicle release sites. In Drosophila motor neurons, induction of AP-1, a heterodimer of Fos and Jun, induces cAMP- and CREB-dependent forms of presynaptic enhancement. Light and electron microscopic studies indicate that this synaptic enhancement is caused by increasing the weight of unitary synapses and not through the insertion of additional release sites. Electrophysiological and optical measurements of vesicle dynamics demonstrate that enhanced neurotransmitter release is accompanied by an increase in the actively cycling synaptic vesicle pool at the expense of the reserve pool. Finally, the observation that AP-1 mediated enhancement eliminates tetanus-induced forms of presynaptic potentiation suggests: (i) that reserve-pool mobilization is required for tetanus-induced short-term synaptic plasticity; and (ii) that long-term synaptic plasticity may, in some instances, be accomplished by stable recruitment of mechanisms that normally underlie short-term synaptic change.

Differences in Ca2+ regulation for high-output Is and low-output Ib motor terminals in Drosophila larvae

We determined whether two classes of Drosophila larval motor terminals with known differences in structure and transmitter release also showed differences in Ca(2+) regulation. Larval motor neurons can be separated into those producing large synaptic boutons (Ib) and those with small boutons (Is). Ib terminals release less transmitter during single action potentials (APs) than Is terminals, but show greater facilitation during high-frequency stimulation. We measured Ca(2+) transients produced by single APs and AP trains after loading the terminals with the dextran-conjugated Ca(2+) indicator Oregon Green 488 BAPTA-1 (OGB-1). The two pairs of Is and Ib terminals innervating muscle fiber 4 and fibers 6 and 7 were examined. The OGB-1 concentrations were measured in order to compare measurements from terminals with similar OGB-1 loading. For single APs, the change in OGB-1 fluorescence (DeltaF/F) in Is boutons was significantly larger than in Ib boutons due to greater Ca(2+) influx per bouton volume. The Is boutons had greater surface area and active zone number per bouton volume than Ib boutons; this could account for the differences in Ca(2+) influx and argues for similar Ca(2+) influx at Is and Ib active zones. As previously reported for the Ib boutons, the distal Is boutons had larger single-AP Ca(2+) transients than proximal ones on muscle fibers 6 and 7, but not on fiber 4. This difference was not due to proximal-distal differences in surface area or active zones per bouton volume and may be due to greater Ca(2+) influx at distal active zones. During AP trains, the Is Ca(2+) transients were larger in amplitude and had longer decay time constants than Ib ones. This can be explained by a slower rate of Ca(2+) extrusion from the Is boutons apparently due to lower plasma membrane Ca(2+) ATPase activity at Is boutons compared to Ib boutons.

Two Ca(2+)-dependent steps controlling synaptic vesicle fusion and replenishment at the cerebellar basket cell terminal

Cerebellar basket cells inhibit postsynaptic Purkinje cells in a rapid and precise manner. To investigate the mechanisms of transmitter release underlying this rapid inhibition, Ca(2+) uncaging was employed to measure the intracellular Ca(2+) dependence of transmitter release and the kinetics of synaptic vesicle pool transitions in immature basket cell synapses at room temperature. Vesicle release properties distinct from those previously observed at excitatory synapses were seen, including a relatively high intracellular Ca(2+) sensitivity of vesicle fusion, rapid vesicle pool mobilization with few reluctant vesicles, and vesicle replenishment driven by unusually high Ca(2+) levels from both local and residual Ca(2+) sources during action potential trains. These results suggest that inhibitory basket cell synapses are optimized for rapid and precise temporal and spatial Ca(2+) coordination of synaptic vesicle fusion and replenishment, which may contribute to the unique physiology of inhibitory synaptic transmission, including phasic release during action potential trains and tonic release by residual intracellular Ca(2+).

Augmentation Controls the Fast Rebound From Depression at Excitatory Hippocampal Synapses

Short-term plasticity occurs at most central chemical synapses and includes both positive and negative components, but the principles governing interaction between components are largely unknown. The residual Ca2+ that persists in presynaptic terminals for several seconds after repetitive use is known to enhance neurotransmitter release under artificial, low probability of release conditions where depression is absent; this is termed augmentation. However, the full impact of augmentation under standard conditions at synapses where depression dominates is not known because of possibly complicated convolution with a variety of potential depression mechanisms. This report shows that residual Ca2+ continues to have a large enhancing impact on release at excitatory hippocampal synapses recovering from depression, including when only recently recruited vesicles are available for release. No evidence was found for gradual vesicle priming or for fast refilling of a highly releasable subdivision of the readily releasable pool (RRP). And decay of enhancement matched the clearance of residual Ca2+, thus matching the behavior of augmentation when studied in isolation. Because of incomplete RRP replenishment, synaptic strength was not typically increased above baseline when residual Ca2+ levels were highest. Instead residual Ca2+ caused single pulse release probability to rebound quickly from depression and then depress quickly during subsequent bursts of activity. Together, these observations can help resolve discrepancies in recent timing estimates of recovery from depression. Additionally, in contrast to results obtained under reduced release conditions, augmentation could be driven to a maximal level, occluding paired-pulse facilitation and other mechanisms that increase release efficiency.

Release-dependent variations in synaptic latency: a putative code for short- and long-term synaptic dynamics

In the cortex, synaptic latencies display small variations ( approximately 1-2 ms) that are generally considered to be negligible. We show here that the synaptic latency at monosynaptically connected pairs of L5 and CA3 pyramidal neurons is determined by the presynaptic release probability (Pr): synaptic latency being inversely correlated with the amplitude of the postsynaptic current and sensitive to manipulations of Pr. Changes in synaptic latency were also observed when Pr was physiologically regulated in short- and long-term synaptic plasticity. Paired-pulse depression and facilitation were respectively associated with increased and decreased synaptic latencies. Similarly, latencies were prolonged following induction of presynaptic LTD and reduced after LTP induction. We show using the dynamic-clamp technique that the observed covariation in latency and synaptic strength is a synergistic combination that significantly affects postsynaptic spiking. In conclusion, amplitude-related variation in latency represents a putative code for short- and long-term synaptic dynamics in cortical networks.

Determining Ca2+-sensor binding time and its variability in evoked neurotransmitter release

The speed and reliability of neuronal reactions are important factors for proper functioning of the nervous system. To understand how organisms use protein molecules to carry out very fast biological actions, we quantified single-molecule reaction time and its variability in synaptic transmission. From the synaptic delay of crayfish neuromuscular synapses the time for a few Ca(2+) ions to bind with their sensors in evoked neurotransmitter release was estimated. In standard crayfish saline at room temperature, the average Ca(2+) binding time was 0.12 ms for the first evoked quanta. At elevated extracellular Ca(2+) concentrations this binding time reached a limit due to saturation of Ca(2+) influx. Analysis of the synaptic delay variance at various Ca(2+) concentrations revealed that the variability of the Ca(2+)-sensor binding time is the major source of the temporal variability of synaptic transmission, and that the Ca(2+)-independent molecular reactions after Ca(2+) influx were less stochastic. The results provide insights into how organisms maximize reaction speed and reliability.

Synaptotagmin-1, -2, and -9: Ca2+ Sensors for Fast Release that Specify Distinct Presynaptic Properties in Subsets of Neurons

Synaptotagmin-1 and -2 are known Ca(2+) sensors for fast synchronous neurotransmitter release, but the potential Ca(2+)-sensor functions of other synaptotagmins in release remain uncharacterized. We now show that besides synaptotagmin-1 and -2, only synaptotagmin-9 (also called synaptotagmin-5) mediates fast Ca(2+) triggering of release. Release induced by the three different synaptotagmin Ca(2+) sensors exhibits distinct kinetics and apparent Ca(2+) sensitivities, suggesting that the synaptotagmin isoform expressed by a neuron determines the release properties of its synapses. Conditional knockout mice producing GFP-tagged synaptotagmin-9 revealed that synaptotagmin-9 is primarily expressed in the limbic system and striatum. Acute deletion of synaptotagmin-9 in striatal neurons severely impaired fast synchronous release without changing the size of the readily-releasable vesicle pool. These data show that in mammalian brain, only synaptotagmin-1, -2, and -9 function as Ca(2+) sensors for fast release, and that these synaptotagmins are differentially expressed to confer distinct release properties onto synapses formed by defined subsets of neurons.

Residual Bound Ca2+ Can Account for the Effects of Ca2+ Buffers on Synaptic Facilitation

Facilitation is a transient stimulation-induced increase in synaptic response, a ubiquitous form of short-term synaptic plasticity that can regulate synaptic transmission on fast time scales. In their pioneering work, Katz and Miledi and Rahamimoff demonstrated the dependence of facilitation on presynaptic Ca2+ influx and proposed that facilitation results from the accumulation of residual Ca2+ bound to vesicle release triggers. However, this bound Ca2+ hypothesis appears to contradict the evidence that facilitation is reduced by exogenous Ca2+ buffers. This conclusion led to a widely held view that facilitation must depend solely on the accumulation of Ca2+ in free form. Here we consider a more realistic implementation of the bound Ca2+ mechanism, taking into account spatial diffusion of Ca2+, and show that a model with slow Ca2+ unbinding steps can retain sensitivity to free residual Ca2+. We demonstrate that this model agrees with the facilitation accumulation time course and its biphasic decay exhibited by the crayfish inhibitor neuromuscular junction (NMJ) and relies on fewer assumptions than the most recent variants of the free residual Ca2+ hypothesis. Further, we show that the bound Ca2+ accumulation is consistent with Kamiya and Zucker's experimental results, which revealed that photolytic liberation of a fast Ca2+ buffer decreases the synaptic response within milliseconds. We conclude that Ca2+ binding processes with slow unbinding times (tens to hundreds of milliseconds) constitute a viable mechanism of synaptic facilitation at some synapses and discuss the experimental evidence for such a mechanism.

Automated classification of evoked quantal events

We provide both theoretical and computational improvements to the analysis of synaptic transmission data. Theoretically, we demonstrate the correlation structure of observations within evoked postsynaptic potentials (EPSP) are consistent with multiple random draws from a common autoregressive moving-average (ARMA) process of order (2, 2). We use this observation and standard time series results to construct a statistical hypothesis testing procedure for determining whether a given trace is an EPSP. Computationally, we implement this method in R, a freeware statistical language, which reduces the amount of time required for the investigator to classify traces into EPSPs or non-EPSPs and eliminates investigator subjectivity from this classification. In addition, we provide a computational method for calculating common functionals of EPSPs (peak amplitude, decay rate, etc.). The methodology is freely available over the internet. The automated procedure to index the quantal characteristics greatly facilitates determining if any one or multiple parameters are changing due to experimental conditions. In our experience, the software reduces the time required to perform these analyses from hours to minutes.

Roles of the fast-releasing and the slowly releasing vesicles in synaptic transmission at the calyx of Held

In the calyx of Held, fast and slow components of neurotransmitter release can be distinguished during a step depolarization. The two components show different sensitivity to molecular/pharmacological manipulations. Here, their roles during a high-frequency train of action potential (AP)-like stimuli were examined by using both deconvolution of EPSCs and presynaptic capacitance measurements. During a 100 Hz train of AP-like stimuli, synchronous release showed a pronounced depression within the 20 stimuli. Asynchronous release persisted during the train, was variable in its amount, and was more prominent during a 300 Hz train. We have shown previously that slowly releasing vesicles were recruited faster than fast-releasing vesicles after depletion. By further slowing recovery of the fast-releasing vesicles by inhibiting calmodulin-dependent processes (Sakaba and Neher, 2001b), the slowly releasing vesicles were isolated during recovery from vesicle depletion. When a high-frequency train was applied, the isolated slowly releasing vesicles were released predominantly asynchronously. In contrast, synchronous release was mediated mainly by the fast-releasing vesicles. The results suggest that fast-releasing vesicles contribute mainly to synchronous release and that depletion of fast-releasing vesicles shape the synaptic depression of the synchronous phase of EPSCs, whereas slowly releasing vesicles are released mainly asynchronously during high-frequency stimulation. The latter is less subject to depression presumably because of a rapid vesicular recruitment process, which is a characteristic of this component.