Visualization of Synchronous or Asynchronous Release of Single Synaptic Vesicle in Active-Zone-Like Membrane Formed on Neuroligin-Coated Glass Surface

Live-cell imaging of endocytosed synaptophysin around individual hippocampal presynaptic active zones

In presynaptic terminals 4 types of endocytosis, kiss-and-run, clathrin-mediated, bulk and ultrafast endocytosis have been reported to maintain repetitive exocytosis of neurotransmitter. However, detailed characteristics and relative contribution of each type of endocytosis still need to be determined. Our previous live-cell imaging study demonstrated individual exocytosis events of synaptic vesicle within an active-zone-like membrane (AZLM) formed on glass using synaptophysin tagged with a pH-sensitive fluorescent protein. On the other hand, individual endocytosis events of postsynaptic receptors were recorded with a rapid extracellular pH exchange method. Combining these methods, here we live-cell imaged endocytosed synaptophysin with total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy in rat hippocampal culture preparations. Clathrin-dependent and -independent endocytosis, which was seemingly bulk endocytosis, occurred within several seconds after electrical stimulation at multiple locations around AZLM at room temperature, with the locations varying trial to trial. The contribution of clathrin-independent endocytosis was more prominent when the number of stimulation pulses was large. The skewness of synaptophysin distribution in intracellular vesicles became smaller after addition of a clathrin inhibitor, which suggests that clathrin-dependent endocytosis concentrates synaptophysin. Ultrafast endocytosis was evident immediately after stimulation only at near physiological temperature and was the predominant endocytosis when the number of stimulation pulses was small.

Vesicular release probability sets the strength of individual Schaffer collateral synapses

Information processing in the brain is controlled by quantal release of neurotransmitters, a tightly regulated process. From ultrastructural analysis, it is known that presynaptic boutons along single axons differ in the number of vesicles docked at the active zone. It is not clear whether the probability of these vesicles to get released (p_ves) is homogenous or also varies between individual boutons. Here, we optically measure evoked transmitter release at individual Schaffer collateral synapses at different calcium concentrations, using the genetically encoded glutamate sensor iGluSnFR. Fitting a binomial model to measured response amplitude distributions allowed us to extract the quantal parameters N, p_ves, and q. We find that Schaffer collateral boutons typically release single vesicles under low p_ves conditions and switch to multivesicular release in high calcium saline. The potency of individual boutons is highly correlated with their vesicular release probability while the number of releasable vesicles affects synaptic output only under high p_ves conditions.

The Decade of Super-Resolution Microscopy of the Presynapse

The presynaptic compartment of the chemical synapse is a small, yet extremely complex structure. Considering its size, most methods of optical microscopy are not able to resolve its nanoarchitecture and dynamics. Thus, its ultrastructure could only be studied by electron microscopy. In the last decade, new methods of optical superresolution microscopy have emerged allowing the study of cellular structures and processes at the nanometer scale. While this is a welcome addition to the experimental arsenal, it has necessitated careful analysis and interpretation to ensure the data obtained remains artifact-free. In this article we review the application of nanoscopic techniques to the study of the synapse and the progress made over the last decade with a particular focus on the presynapse. We find to our surprise that progress has been limited, calling for imaging techniques and probes that allow dense labeling, multiplexing, longer imaging times, higher temporal resolution, while at least maintaining the spatial resolution achieved thus far.

Amyloid-β oligomers suppress subunit-specific glutamate receptor increase during LTP

Introduction

Amyloid-β oligomers (AβOs) are assumed to impair the ability of learning and memory by suppressing the induction of synaptic plasticity, such as long-term potentiation (LTP) in the early stage of Alzheimer's disease. However, the direct molecular mechanism of how AβOs affect excitatory synaptic plasticity remains to be elucidated.

Methods

In order to study the effects of AβOs on LTP-associated changes of AMPA (alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid)-type glutamate receptor (AMPAR) movement, we performed live-cell imaging of fluorescently labeled AMPAR subunit GluA1 or GluA2 with total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy.

Results

Incubation of cultured hippocampal neurons with AβOs for 1–2 days inhibited the increase in GluA1 number and GluA1 exocytosis frequency in both postsynaptic and extrasynaptic membranes during LTP. In contrast, AβOs did not inhibit the increase in GluA2 number or exocytosis frequency.

Discussion

These results suggest that AβOs primarily inhibit the increase in the number of GluA1 homomers and suppress hippocampal LTP expression.

Tracking Newly Released Synaptic Vesicle Proteins at Ribbon Active Zones

Clearance of synaptic vesicle proteins from active zones may be rate limiting for sustained neurotransmission. Issues of clearance are critical at ribbon synapses, which continually release neurotransmitters for prolonged periods of time. We used synaptophysin-pHluorin (SypHy) to visualize protein clearance from active zones in retinal bipolar cell ribbon synapses. Depolarizing voltage steps gave rise to small step-like changes in fluorescence likely indicating release of single SypHy molecules from fused synaptic vesicles near active zones. Temporal and spatial fluorescence profiles of individual responses were highly variable, but ensemble averages were well fit by clearance via free diffusion using Monte Carlo simulations. The rate of fluorescence decay of ensemble averages varied with the time and location of the fusion event, with clearance being most rapid at the onset of a stimulus when release rate is the highest.

Visualization of Exo- and Endocytosis of AMPA Receptors During Hippocampal Synaptic Plasticity Around Postsynaptic-Like Membrane Formed on Glass Surface

Regulation of exo- and endocytosis of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)-type glutamate receptor (AMPAR) plays a critical role in the expression of synaptic plasticity such as long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) at excitatory central synapses. Enhanced AMPAR exocytosis or endocytosis has been suggested to contribute to LTP or LTD, respectively. However, several unsettled fundamental questions have remained about AMPAR exo- and endocytosis in the basal condition and during synaptic plasticity: (1) Does the size of each exo- or endocytosis event, and/or do the frequencies of these events change during LTP or LTD? If they change, what are the time courses of the respective changes? (2) Where does the exo- or endocytosis preferentially occur in each condition: inside or in the vicinity of postsynaptic membrane, or in the extrasynaptic membrane? (3) Do different types of AMPAR, such as GluA1 homo-tetramer, GluA1/2 hetero-tetramer and GluA2/3 hetero-tetramer, show distinct exo- and endocytosis changes? To address these questions, we developed new methods to observe individual events of AMPAR exo- or endocytosis with a high signal to noise (SN) ratio in a culture preparation using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM). In these studies, hippocampal neurons were cultured on a neurexin (NRX)-coated glass coverslip, which induced formation of postsynaptic-like membrane (PSLM) directly on the glass surface. Then, a super-ecliptic pHluorin (SEP)-tagged AMPAR subunit such as GluA1 (GluA1-SEP) was expressed in neurons and its fluorescence changes during LTP induced by high frequency electrical field stimulation were observed with TIRFM, which showed different time courses of exocytosis changes of GluA1-, GluA2-, or GluA3-SEP in and around PSLM. In addition, a new method to detect individual endocytosis events of AMPAR was developed by combining TIFRM observation of GluA-SEP around PSLM with a rapid extracellular pH exchange method using a U-tube. Recent results on exo- and endocytosis changes of GluA-SEP during N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced LTD suggested that suppression of AMPAR exocytosis rather than enhancement of AMPAR endocytosis primarily contributes to LTD expression, although the NMDA application transiently enhances clathrin-dependent endocytosis of GluA1-containing AMPAR.