Abstract
Spontaneous release of neurotransmitters is regulated by extracellular [Ca2+] and intracellular [Ca2+]. Curiously, some of the mechanisms of Ca2+ signaling at central synapses are different at excitatory and inhibitory synapses. While the stochastic activity of voltage-activated Ca2+ channels triggers a majority of spontaneous release at inhibitory synapses, this is not the case at excitatory nerve terminals. Ca2+ release from intracellular stores regulates spontaneous release at excitatory and inhibitory terminals, as do agonists of the Ca2+-sensing receptor. Molecular machinery triggering spontaneous vesicle fusion may differ from that underlying evoked release and may be one of the sources of heterogeneity in release mechanisms.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 335-347 |
Number of pages | 13 |
Journal | Journal of Neuroscience Research |
Volume | 96 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 2018 |
Keywords
- VGCC (voltage-gated calcium channels)
- calcium
- minis
- spontaneous release
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience