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Neuron May 2016Regulation of neurotransmitter receptor localization is critical for synaptic function and plasticity. In this issue of Neuron, Matsuda and colleagues (Matsuda et al.,... (Review)
Review
Regulation of neurotransmitter receptor localization is critical for synaptic function and plasticity. In this issue of Neuron, Matsuda and colleagues (Matsuda et al., 2016) uncover a transsynaptic complex consisting of neurexin-3, C1q-like proteins, and kainate receptors that drives glutamate receptor clustering at hippocampal synapses.
Topics: Animals; Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials; Hippocampus; Humans; Neuronal Plasticity; Neurons; Synapses; Synaptic Transmission
PubMed: 27196968
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2016.05.007 -
Trends in Neurosciences Mar 2016Action potentials invading the presynaptic terminal trigger discharge of docked synaptic vesicles (SVs) by opening voltage-dependent calcium channels (CaVs) and... (Review)
Review
Action potentials invading the presynaptic terminal trigger discharge of docked synaptic vesicles (SVs) by opening voltage-dependent calcium channels (CaVs) and admitting calcium ions (Ca(2+)), which diffuse to, and activate, SV sensors. At most synapses, SV sensors and CaVs are sufficiently close that release is gated by individual CaV Ca(2+) nanodomains centered on the channel mouth. Other synapses gate SV release with extensive Ca(2+) microdomains summed from many, more distant CaVs. We review the experimental preparations, theories, and methods that provided principles of release nanophysiology and highlight expansion of the field into synaptic diversity and modifications of release gating for specific synaptic demands. Specializations in domain gating may adapt the terminal for roles in development, transmission of rapid impulse frequencies, and modulation of synaptic strength.
Topics: Animals; Neurotransmitter Agents; Synapses; Synaptic Transmission
PubMed: 26896416
DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2016.01.005 -
Neuroscience Nov 2019Soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins mediate membrane fusion events in eukaryotic cells. Traditionally recognized as... (Review)
Review
Soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins mediate membrane fusion events in eukaryotic cells. Traditionally recognized as major players in regulating presynaptic neurotransmitter release, accumulative evidence over recent years has identified several SNARE proteins implicated in important postsynaptic processes such as neurotransmitter receptor trafficking and synaptic plasticity. Here we analyze the emerging data revealing this novel functional dimension for SNAREs with a focus on the molecular specialization of vesicular recycling and fusion in dendrites compared to those at axon terminals and its impact in synaptic transmission and plasticity.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Neuronal Plasticity; Neurons; SNARE Proteins; Synaptic Transmission
PubMed: 30458218
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.11.012 -
Journal of Neurochemistry Aug 2017This special issue is a companion to the meeting 'XVth International Symposium on Cholinergic Mechanisms', and is edited by Israel Silman, Marco Prado and Pascale... (Review)
Review
This special issue is a companion to the meeting 'XVth International Symposium on Cholinergic Mechanisms', and is edited by Israel Silman, Marco Prado and Pascale Marchot. In the review articles, renowned researchers in the field capture key mechanisms of cholinergic neurotransmission, from genomic amplification of cholinesterase genes, splicing and post-translational modifications; features of the neuromuscular junction, implications of cholinergic circuitry that are relevant to addiction, anxiety and mood, to preclinical models, protein biomarkers, and clinical findings that are relevant to pathology, for example, developmental neurotoxicity. The broad variety of features reflects the impact of cholinergic mechanisms on many physiological events and emphasizes the importance of research in this area. This is the Preface for the special issue XVth International Symposium on Cholinergic Mechanisms.
Topics: Acetylcholine; Animals; Behavior, Addictive; Cholinergic Agents; Humans; Neuromuscular Junction; Neurotoxicity Syndromes; Synaptic Transmission
PubMed: 28791707
DOI: 10.1111/jnc.14027 -
Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta.... Nov 2022Adequate homeostasis of lipid, protein and carbohydrate metabolism is essential for cells to perform highly specific tasks in our organism, and the brain, with its... (Review)
Review
Adequate homeostasis of lipid, protein and carbohydrate metabolism is essential for cells to perform highly specific tasks in our organism, and the brain, with its uniquely high energetic requirements, posesses singular characteristics. Some of these are related to its extraordinary dotation of synapses, the specialized subcelluar structures where signal transmission between neurons occurs in the central nervous system. The post-synaptic compartment of excitatory synapses, the dendritic spine, harbors key molecules involved in neurotransmission tightly packed within a minute volume of a few femtoliters. The spine is further compartmentalized into nanodomains that facilitate the execution of temporo-spatially separate functions in the synapse. Lipids play important roles in this structural and functional compartmentalization and in mechanisms that impact on synaptic transmission. This review analyzes the structural and dynamic processes involving lipids at the synapse, highlighting the importance of their homeostatic balance for the physiology of this complex and highly specialized structure, and underscoring the pathologies associated with disbalances of lipid metabolism, particularly in the perinatal and late adulthood periods of life. Although small variations of the lipid profile in the brain take place throughout the adult lifespan, the pathophysiological consequences are clinically manifested mostly during late adulthood. Disturbances in lipid homeostasis in the perinatal period leads to alterations during nervous system development, while in late adulthood they favor the occurrence of neurodegenerative diseases.
Topics: Lipidomics; Lipids; Neurons; Synapses; Synaptic Transmission
PubMed: 35964712
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2022.184033 -
STAR Protocols Mar 2022Spontaneous spiking activity depends on intrinsic excitability and synaptic input. Historically, synaptic activity has been mostly studied . Here, we describe a...
Spontaneous spiking activity depends on intrinsic excitability and synaptic input. Historically, synaptic activity has been mostly studied . Here, we describe a versatile and robust protocol to record field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) in behaving rodents. The protocol allows estimating the input-output relationship of a specific pathway, short-term and long-term plasticity, and their modulation by pharmacological or pharmacogenetic interventions and behavioral states. However, experimenters must be aware of the protocol's specificity and interpret results with care. For complete details on the use and execution of this profile, please refer to Styr et al. (2019).
Topics: Animals; Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials; Female; Male; Mice; Neuronal Plasticity; Synaptic Transmission
PubMed: 35118427
DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2021.101115 -
International Journal of Molecular... Feb 2021Distinct from ovarian estradiol, the steroid hormone 17ß-estradiol (E2) is produced in the brain and is involved in numerous functions, particularly acting as a... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
Distinct from ovarian estradiol, the steroid hormone 17ß-estradiol (E2) is produced in the brain and is involved in numerous functions, particularly acting as a neurosteroid. However, the physiological role of E2 and the mechanism of its effects are not well known. In hippocampal slices, 17ß-estradiol has been found to cause a modest increase in fast glutamatergic transmission; because some of these effects are rapid and acute, they might be mediated by membrane-associated receptors via nongenomic action. Moreover, activation of membrane estrogen receptors can rapidly modulate neuron function in a sex-specific manner. To further investigate the neurological role of E2, we examined the effect of E2, as an estrogen receptor (ER) agonist, on synaptic transmission in slices of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus in both male and female mice. Whole-cell recordings of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSC) in the PFC showed that E2 acts as a neuromodulator in glutamatergic transmission in the PFC in both sexes, but often in a cell-specific manner. The sEPSC amplitude and/or frequency responded to E2 in three ways, namely by significantly increasing, decreasing or having no response. Additional experiments using an agonist selective for ERß, diarylpropionitrile (DPN) showed that in males the sEPSC and spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents sIPSC responses were similar to their E2 responses, but in females the estrogen receptor ß (ERß) agonist DPN did not influence excitatory transmission in the PFC. In contrast, in the hippocampus of both sexes E2 potentiated the gluatmatergic synaptic transmission in a subset of hippocampal cells. These data indicate that activation of E2 targeting probably a estrogen subtypes or different downstream signaling affect synaptic transmission in the brain PFC and hippocampus between males versus females mice.
Topics: Animals; Estradiol; Estrogen Receptor alpha; Excitatory Amino Acid Agents; Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials; Female; GABA Agents; Hippocampus; Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potentials; Kinetics; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Nitriles; Patch-Clamp Techniques; Prefrontal Cortex; Propionates; Sex Characteristics; Synaptic Transmission
PubMed: 33540803
DOI: 10.3390/ijms22031485 -
Developmental Neurobiology May 2017Electrical synapses are finding increasing representation and importance in our understanding of signaling in the nervous system. In contrast to chemical synapses, at... (Review)
Review
Electrical synapses are finding increasing representation and importance in our understanding of signaling in the nervous system. In contrast to chemical synapses, at which molecules are evolutionary conserved, vertebrate and invertebrate electrical synapses represent molecularly different structures that share a common communicating strategy that allows them to serve very similar functions. A better understanding of differences and commonalities regarding the structure, function and regulation of vertebrate and invertebrate electrical synapses will lead to a better understanding of the properties and functional diversity of this modality of synaptic communication. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 77: 517-521, 2017.
Topics: Animals; Electrical Synapses; Synaptic Transmission
PubMed: 28188695
DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22488 -
Scientific Reports Aug 2022Infrared (IR) neuromodulation (INM) has been demonstrated as a novel modulation modality of neuronal excitability. However, the effects of pulsed IR light on synaptic...
Infrared (IR) neuromodulation (INM) has been demonstrated as a novel modulation modality of neuronal excitability. However, the effects of pulsed IR light on synaptic transmission have not been investigated systematically. In this report, the IR light (2 μm) is used to directly modulate evoked synaptic transmission at the crayfish opener neuromuscular junction. The extracellularly recorded terminal action potentials (tAPs) and evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) modulated by localized IR light illumination (500 ms, 3-13 mW) aimed at the synapses are analyzed. The impact of a single IR light pulse on the presynaptic Ca influx is monitored with Ca indicators. The EPSC amplitude is enhanced, and its rising phase is accelerated under relatively low IR light power levels and localized temperature rises. Increasing the IR light power reversibly suppresses and eventually blocks the EPSCs. Meanwhile, the synaptic delay, tAP amplitude, and presynaptic Ca influx decrease monotonously with higher IR light power. It is demonstrated for the first time that IR light illumination has bidirectional effects on evoked synaptic transmission. These results highlight the efficacy and flexibility of using pulsed IR light to directly control synaptic transmission and advance our understanding of INM of neural networks.
Topics: Action Potentials; Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials; Neuromuscular Junction; Synapses; Synaptic Transmission
PubMed: 35987765
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-18139-2 -
Brain, Behavior, and Immunity Jan 2024Cytokines are potent immunomodulators exerting pleiotropic effects in the central nervous system (CNS). They influence neuronal functions and circuit activities with...
Cytokines are potent immunomodulators exerting pleiotropic effects in the central nervous system (CNS). They influence neuronal functions and circuit activities with effects on memory processes and behaviors. Here, we unravel a neuromodulatory activity of interleukin-15 (IL-15) in mouse brain. Acute exposure of hippocampal slices to IL-15 enhances gamma-aminobutyricacid (GABA) release and reduces glutamatergic currents, while chronic treatment with IL-15 increases the frequency of hippocampal miniature inhibitory synaptic transmission and impairs memory formation in the novel object recognition (NOR) test. Moreover, we describe that serotonin is involved in mediating the hippocampal effects of IL-15, because a selective 5-HTA receptor antagonist prevents the effects on inhibitory neurotransmission and ameliorates mice performance in the NOR test. These findings provide new insights into the modulatory activities of cytokines in the CNS, with implications on behavior.
Topics: Mice; Animals; Interleukin-15; Memory, Episodic; Hippocampus; Synaptic Transmission; Neurons
PubMed: 37992787
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.11.015