Presynaptic source of quantal size variability at GABAergic synapses in rat hippocampal neurons in culture

The European Journal of Neuroscience
Andrea BarberisEnrico Cherubini

Abstract

The variability of quantal size depends on both presynaptic (profile of the neurotransmitter concentration in the cleft) and postsynaptic (number and gating properties of postsynaptic receptors) factors. Here we have examined the possibility that at nonsaturated synapses in cultured hippocampal neurons, changes in both the transmitter concentration peak and its clearance from the synaptic cleft may influence the variability of spontaneous miniature synaptic GABAergic currents (mIPSCs). We found that, in contrast to the slow-off GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline, fast-off competitive antagonists such as SR-95103 and TPMPA differentially blocked small and large mIPSCs. In the presence of flurazepam, a drug believed to increase the affinity of GABA for GABAAR, small mIPSCs were enhanced more efficiently than large events. Moreover, the addition of dextran, which increases the viscosity of the extracellular fluid, preferentially increased small mIPSCs with respect to large ones. These observations suggest that changes in the concentration peak and the speed of GABA clearance in the cleft may be an important source of synaptic variability. The study of the correlation between peak amplitude and kinetics of mIPSCs allowed determi...Continue Reading

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Citations

Apr 27, 2010·Nature Neuroscience·Pavel I OrtinskiDouglas A Coulter
Apr 22, 2011·The Journal of Biological Chemistry·Zeynep Kasap VarleyPaola Zacchi
Jan 7, 2011·The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics·Marvin R DiazBrian A McCool
Jun 23, 2012·The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience·C Geoffrey Lau, Venkatesh N Murthy
Apr 25, 2012·Neural Plasticity·Fabian C Roth, Andreas Draguhn
Sep 6, 2007·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·János SzabadicsIvan Soltesz
Feb 18, 2011·Experimental Neurology·Laxmikant S DeshpandeRobert J DeLorenzo
Jun 8, 2007·The European Journal of Neuroscience·Edith M Schneider GasserJean-Marc Fritschy
Sep 21, 2007·Neuron·Robert H Edwards
Apr 4, 2006·Nature Neuroscience·Kenichi N HartmanVenkatesh N Murthy
Jan 7, 2005·Molecular Pharmacology·Andrea BarberisJerzy W Mozrzymas
Aug 4, 2005·Journal of Cell Science·Ronald JabsChristian Steinhäuser

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