TY - JOUR
T1 - Inhibitory transmission mediated by asynchronous transmitter release
AU - Lu, Tao
AU - Trussell, Laurence O.
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank Stephan Brenowitz and Rostislav Turecek for valuable discussions, and Henrique von Gersdorff, Craig Jahr, and Matt Jones for comments on the manuscript. This work was supported by National Institutes of Health grant DC02004.
PY - 2000
Y1 - 2000
N2 - At fast CNS synapses, the role of asynchronous release following initial synchronous release is poorly understood. We examined the contribution of asynchronous release to GABAergic transmission in the cochlear nucleus across a 40-fold range of electrical stimulus frequencies. Whereas quantal release was highly synchronized at low frequencies, it was largely continous and desynchronized at high frequencies. Despite the change in release mode, intense and steady inhibitory transmission was virtually maintained. Experimental analyses and modeling studies indicated that this 'desynchronization' process was dependent on presynaptic Ca2+ accumulation, facilitation of vesicle release, and short-term depletion of available vesicles. Asynchronous release at high frequencies may help generate a smooth inhibitory 'tone' by minimizing the consequences of random timing of presynaptic action potentials.
AB - At fast CNS synapses, the role of asynchronous release following initial synchronous release is poorly understood. We examined the contribution of asynchronous release to GABAergic transmission in the cochlear nucleus across a 40-fold range of electrical stimulus frequencies. Whereas quantal release was highly synchronized at low frequencies, it was largely continous and desynchronized at high frequencies. Despite the change in release mode, intense and steady inhibitory transmission was virtually maintained. Experimental analyses and modeling studies indicated that this 'desynchronization' process was dependent on presynaptic Ca2+ accumulation, facilitation of vesicle release, and short-term depletion of available vesicles. Asynchronous release at high frequencies may help generate a smooth inhibitory 'tone' by minimizing the consequences of random timing of presynaptic action potentials.
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U2 - 10.1016/S0896-6273(00)81204-0
DO - 10.1016/S0896-6273(00)81204-0
M3 - Article
C2 - 10896163
AN - SCOPUS:0033681867
SN - 0896-6273
VL - 26
SP - 683
EP - 694
JO - Neuron
JF - Neuron
IS - 3
ER -