Mechanisms involved in persistent facilitation of neuromuscular synapses in aplysia

Journal of Neurophysiology
L E Fox, P E Lloyd

Abstract

Synaptic plasticity can last from a fraction of a second to weeks depending on how it was induced. The mechanisms that underlie short-, intermediate-, and long-term plasticity have been intensively studied at central synapses of both vertebrates and invertebrates; however, peripheral plasticity has not received as much attention. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms that contribute to a persistent form of plasticity at neuromuscular synapses in buccal muscle I3a of Aplysia. These synapses are reversibly facilitated by the small cardioactive peptide (SCP), a peptide cotransmitter that is intrinsic to the motor neurons, and persistently facilitated by serotonin (5HT) released from modulatory neurons that are extrinsic to the motor circuit. Many of the short-term effects of 5HT and SCP are mediated by the cAMP pathway, but little is known about the mechanisms that underlie persistent modulation. We were able to eliminate several possible mechanisms. One of these was the possibility that the apparent reversal of SCP's effects was due to desensitization of the SCP receptor. Superfusion for longer periods or with higher concentrations of SCP indicate that the SCP receptors do not desensitize. We also determined that new prot...Continue Reading

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Citations

Oct 12, 2012·Experimental Neurobiology·Wen-Hui Wu, Robin L Cooper
Mar 4, 2020·International Journal of Molecular Sciences·Julien Bacqué-CazenavePhilippe De Deurwaerdère
Nov 23, 2006·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Oliver R BraubachRoger P Croll
Jan 9, 2018·ACS Chemical Neuroscience·Elizabeth C CropperKlaudiusz R Weiss

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