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Kunkhyen T, Brechbill TR, Berg SPR, Pothuri P, Rangel AN, Gupta A, Cheetham CEJ. Cell type- and layer-specific plasticity of olfactory bulb interneurons following olfactory sensory neuron ablation. Sci Rep 2024; 14:17771. [PMID: 39090136 PMCID: PMC11294461 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-68649-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Lifelong neurogenesis endows the mouse olfactory system with a capacity for regeneration that is unique in the mammalian nervous system. Throughout life, olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) are generated from olfactory epithelium (OE) stem cells in the nose, while the subventricular zone generates neuroblasts that migrate to the olfactory bulb (OB) and differentiate into multiple populations of inhibitory interneurons. Methimazole (MMZ) selectively ablates OSNs, but OE neurogenesis enables OSN repopulation and gradual recovery of OSN input to the OB within 6 weeks. However, it is not known how OB interneurons are affected by this loss and subsequent regeneration of OSN input following MMZ treatment. We found that dopaminergic neuron density was significantly reduced 7-14 days post-MMZ but recovered substantially at 35 days. The density of parvalbumin-expressing interneurons was unaffected by MMZ; however, their soma size was significantly reduced at 7-14 days post-MMZ, recovering by 35 days. Surprisingly, we found a transient increase in the density of calretinin-expressing neurons in the glomerular and external plexiform layers, but not the granule cell layer, 7 days post-MMZ. This could not be accounted for by increased neurogenesis but may result from increased calretinin expression. Together, our data demonstrate cell type- and layer-specific changes in OB interneuron density and morphology after MMZ treatment, providing new insight into the range of plasticity mechanisms employed by OB circuits during loss and regeneration of sensory input.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tenzin Kunkhyen
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Taryn R Brechbill
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Sarah P R Berg
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Pranitha Pothuri
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Alexander N Rangel
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Ashna Gupta
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Claire E J Cheetham
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
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Eisner D, Neher E, Taschenberger H, Smith G. Physiology of intracellular calcium buffering. Physiol Rev 2023; 103:2767-2845. [PMID: 37326298 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00042.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Calcium signaling underlies much of physiology. Almost all the Ca2+ in the cytoplasm is bound to buffers, with typically only ∼1% being freely ionized at resting levels in most cells. Physiological Ca2+ buffers include small molecules and proteins, and experimentally Ca2+ indicators will also buffer calcium. The chemistry of interactions between Ca2+ and buffers determines the extent and speed of Ca2+ binding. The physiological effects of Ca2+ buffers are determined by the kinetics with which they bind Ca2+ and their mobility within the cell. The degree of buffering depends on factors such as the affinity for Ca2+, the Ca2+ concentration, and whether Ca2+ ions bind cooperatively. Buffering affects both the amplitude and time course of cytoplasmic Ca2+ signals as well as changes of Ca2+ concentration in organelles. It can also facilitate Ca2+ diffusion inside the cell. Ca2+ buffering affects synaptic transmission, muscle contraction, Ca2+ transport across epithelia, and the killing of bacteria. Saturation of buffers leads to synaptic facilitation and tetanic contraction in skeletal muscle and may play a role in inotropy in the heart. This review focuses on the link between buffer chemistry and function and how Ca2+ buffering affects normal physiology and the consequences of changes in disease. As well as summarizing what is known, we point out the many areas where further work is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Eisner
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Erwin Neher
- Membrane Biophysics Laboratory, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence "Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells" (MBExC), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Holger Taschenberger
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Godfrey Smith
- School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health, College of Medical, Veterinary, and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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Wender M, Bornschein G, Brachtendorf S, Hallermann S, Eilers J, Schmidt H. Ca v2.2 Channels Sustain Vesicle Recruitment at a Mature Glutamatergic Synapse. J Neurosci 2023; 43:4005-4018. [PMID: 37185239 PMCID: PMC10255130 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1279-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The composition of voltage-gated Ca2+ channel (Cav) subtypes that gate action potential (AP)-evoked release changes during the development of mammalian CNS synapses. Cav2.2 and Cav2.3 lose their function in gating-evoked release during postnatal synapse maturation. In mature boutons, Cav2.1 currents provide the almost exclusive trigger for evoked release, and Cav2.3 currents are required for the induction of presynaptic long-term potentiation. However, the functional significance of Cav2.2 remained elusive in mature boutons, although they remain present at active zones and continue contributing significantly to presynaptic Ca2+ influx. Here, we addressed the functional significance of Cav2.2 and Cav2.3 at mature parallel-fiber (PF) to Purkinje neuron synapses of mice of either sex. These synapses are known to exhibit the corresponding developmental Cav subtype changes in gating release. We addressed two hypotheses, namely that Cav2.2 and Cav2.3 are involved in triggering spontaneous glutamate release and that they are engaged in vesicle recruitment during repetitive evoked release. We found that spontaneous miniature release is Ca2+ dependent. However, experiments with Cav subtype-specific blockers excluded the spontaneous opening of Cavs as the Ca2+ source for spontaneous glutamate release. Thus, neither Cav2.2 nor Cav2.3 controls spontaneous release from PF boutons. Furthermore, vesicle recruitment during brief bursts of APs was also independent of Ca2+ influx through Cav2.2 and Cav2.3. However, Cav2.2, but not Cav2.3, currents significantly boosted vesicle recruitment during sustained high-frequency synaptic transmission. Thus, in mature PF boutons Cav2.2 channels are specifically required to sustain synaptic transmission during prolonged neuronal activity.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT At young CNS synapses, action potential-evoked release is gated via three subtypes of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels: Cav2.1, Cav2.2, and Cav2.3. During postnatal maturation, Cav2.2 and Cav2.3 lose their function in gating evoked release, such that at mature synapses Cav2.1 provides the almost exclusive source for triggering evoked release. Cav2.3 currents are required for the induction of presynaptic long-term potentiation. However, the function of the still abundant Cav2.2 in mature boutons remained largely elusive. Here, we studied mature cerebellar parallel-fiber synapses and found that Cav2.2 does not control spontaneous release. However, Ca2+ influx through Cav2.2 significantly boosted vesicle recruitment during trains of action potentials. Thus, Cav2.2 in mature parallel-fiber boutons participate in sustaining synaptic transmission during prolonged activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Wender
- Carl Ludwig Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Grit Bornschein
- Carl Ludwig Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Simone Brachtendorf
- Carl Ludwig Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stefan Hallermann
- Carl Ludwig Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jens Eilers
- Carl Ludwig Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hartmut Schmidt
- Carl Ludwig Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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Wang ZW, Riaz S, Niu L. Roles and Sources of Calcium in Synaptic Exocytosis. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 33:139-170. [PMID: 37615866 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-34229-5_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Calcium ions (Ca2+) play a critical role in triggering neurotransmitter release. The rate of release is directly related to the concentration of Ca2+ at the presynaptic site, with a supralinear relationship. There are two main sources of Ca2+ that trigger synaptic vesicle fusion: influx through voltage-gated Ca2+ channels in the plasma membrane and release from the endoplasmic reticulum via ryanodine receptors. This chapter will cover the sources of Ca2+ at the presynaptic nerve terminal, the relationship between neurotransmitter release rate and Ca2+ concentration, and the mechanisms that achieve the necessary Ca2+ concentrations for triggering synaptic exocytosis at the presynaptic site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao-Wen Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA.
| | - Sadaf Riaz
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Longgang Niu
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
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Zhang W, Jiang HH, Luo F. Diverse organization of voltage-gated calcium channels at presynaptic active zones. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2022; 14:1023256. [PMID: 36544543 PMCID: PMC9760684 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2022.1023256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Synapses are highly organized but are also highly diverse in their organization and properties to allow for optimizing the computing power of brain circuits. Along these lines, voltage-gated calcium (CaV) channels at the presynaptic active zone are heterogeneously organized, which creates a variety of calcium dynamics profiles that can shape neurotransmitter release properties of individual synapses. Extensive studies have revealed striking diversity in the subtype, number, and distribution of CaV channels, as well as the nanoscale topographic relationships to docked synaptic vesicles. Further, multi-protein complexes including RIMs, RIM-binding proteins, CAST/ELKS, and neurexins are required for coordinating the diverse organization of CaV channels at the presynaptic active zone. In this review, we highlight major advances in the studies of the functional organization of presynaptic CaV channels and discuss their physiological implications for synaptic transmission and short-term plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijia Zhang
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou, China,Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - He-Hai Jiang
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou, China,Bioland Laboratory, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fujun Luo
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou, China,Bioland Laboratory, Guangzhou, China,*Correspondence: Fujun Luo
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Midorikawa M. Developmental and activity-dependent modulation of coupling distance between release site and Ca2+ channel. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:1037721. [DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.1037721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Synapses are junctions between a presynaptic neuron and a postsynaptic cell specialized for fast and precise information transfer. The presynaptic terminal secretes neurotransmitters via exocytosis of synaptic vesicles. Exocytosis is a tightly regulated reaction that occurs within a millisecond of the arrival of an action potential. One crucial parameter in determining the characteristics of the transmitter release kinetics is the coupling distance between the release site and the Ca2+ channel. Still, the technical limitations have hindered detailed analysis from addressing how the coupling distance is regulated depending on the development or activity of the synapse. However, recent technical advances in electrophysiology and imaging are unveiling their different configurations in different conditions. Here, I will summarize developmental- and activity-dependent changes in the coupling distances revealed by recent studies.
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Zhang C, Wang M, Lin S, Xie R. Calretinin-Expressing Synapses Show Improved Synaptic Efficacy with Reduced Asynchronous Release during High-Rate Activity. J Neurosci 2022; 42:2729-2742. [PMID: 35165172 PMCID: PMC8973423 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1773-21.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Calretinin (CR) is a major calcium binding protein widely expressed in the CNS. However, its synaptic function remains largely elusive. At the auditory synapse of the endbulb of Held, CR is selectively expressed in different subtypes. Combining electrophysiology with immunohistochemistry, we investigated the synaptic transmission at the endbulb of Held synapses with and without endogenous CR expression in mature CBA/CAJ mice of either sex. Two synapse subtypes showed similar basal synaptic transmission, except a larger quantal size in CR-expressing synapses. During high-rate stimulus trains, CR-expressing synapses showed improved synaptic efficacy with significantly less depression and lower asynchronous release, suggesting more efficient exocytosis than non-CR-expressing synapses. Conversely, CR-expressing synapses had a smaller readily releasable pool size, which was countered by higher release probability and faster synaptic recovery to support sustained release during high-rate activity. EGTA-AM treatment did not change the synaptic transmission of CR-expressing synapses, but reduced synaptic depression and decreased asynchronous release at non-CR-expressing synapses, suggesting that CR helps to minimize calcium accumulation during high-rate activity. Both synapses express parvalbumin, another calcium-binding protein with slower kinetics and higher affinity than CR, but not calbindin. Furthermore, CR-expressing synapses only express the fast isoform of vesicular glutamate transporter 1 (VGluT1), while most non-CR-expressing synapses express both VGluT1 and the slower VGluT2, which may underlie their lagged synaptic recovery. The findings suggest that, paired with associated synaptic machinery, differential CR expression regulates synaptic efficacy among different subtypes of auditory nerve synapses to accomplish distinctive physiological functions in transmitting auditory information at high rates.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT CR is a major calcium-binding protein in the brain. It remains unclear how endogenous CR impacts synaptic transmission. We investigated the question at the large endbulb of Held synapses with selective CR expression and found that CR-expressing and non-CR-expressing synapses had similar release properties under basal synaptic transmission. During high-rate activity, however, CR-expressing synapses showed improved synaptic efficacy with less depression, lower asynchronous release, and faster recovery. Furthermore, CR-expressing synapses use exclusive VGluT1 to refill synaptic vesicles, while non-CR-expressing synapses use both VGluT1 and the slower isoform of VGluT2. Our findings suggest that CR may play significant roles in promoting synaptic efficacy during high-rate activity, and selective CR expression can differentially impact signal processing among different synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuangeng Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210
| | - Meijian Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210
| | - Shengyin Lin
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210
| | - Ruili Xie
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210
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8
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Paul MM, Dannhäuser S, Morris L, Mrestani A, Hübsch M, Gehring J, Hatzopoulos GN, Pauli M, Auger GM, Bornschein G, Scholz N, Ljaschenko D, Müller M, Sauer M, Schmidt H, Kittel RJ, DiAntonio A, Vakonakis I, Heckmann M, Langenhan T. The human cognition-enhancing CORD7 mutation increases active zone number and synaptic release. Brain 2022; 145:3787-3802. [DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Humans carrying the CORD7 (cone-rod dystrophy 7) mutation possess increased verbal IQ and working memory. This autosomal dominant syndrome is caused by the single-amino acid R844H exchange (human numbering) located in the 310 helix of the C2A domain of RIMS1/RIM1 (Rab3-interacting molecule 1). RIM is an evolutionarily conserved multi-domain protein and essential component of presynaptic active zones, which is centrally involved in fast, Ca2+-triggered neurotransmitter release. How the CORD7 mutation affects synaptic function has remained unclear thus far. Here, we established Drosophila melanogaster as a disease model for clarifying the effects of the CORD7 mutation on RIM function and synaptic vesicle release.
To this end, using protein expression and X-ray crystallography, we solved the molecular structure of the Drosophila C2A domain at 1.92 Å resolution and by comparison to its mammalian homolog ascertained that the location of the CORD7 mutation is structurally conserved in fly RIM. Further, CRISPR/Cas9-assisted genomic engineering was employed for the generation of rim alleles encoding the R915H CORD7 exchange or R915E,R916E substitutions (fly numbering) to effect local charge reversal at the 310 helix. Through electrophysiological characterization by two-electrode voltage clamp and focal recordings we determined that the CORD7 mutation exerts a semi-dominant rather than a dominant effect on synaptic transmission resulting in faster, more efficient synaptic release and increased size of the readily releasable pool but decreased sensitivity for the fast calcium chelator BAPTA. In addition, the rim CORD7 allele increased the number of presynaptic active zones but left their nanoscopic organization unperturbed as revealed by super-resolution microscopy of the presynaptic scaffold protein Bruchpilot/ELKS/CAST.
We conclude that the CORD7 mutation leads to tighter release coupling, an increased readily releasable pool size and more release sites thereby promoting more efficient synaptic transmitter release. These results strongly suggest that similar mechanisms may underlie the CORD7 disease phenotype in patients and that enhanced synaptic transmission may contribute to their increased cognitive abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mila M. Paul
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology, University of Würzburg, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
- Department of Orthopaedic Trauma, Hand, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sven Dannhäuser
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology, University of Würzburg, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Lydia Morris
- Division of General Biochemistry, Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Achmed Mrestani
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology, University of Würzburg, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
- Division of General Biochemistry, Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Leipzig University Medical Center, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martha Hübsch
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology, University of Würzburg, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jennifer Gehring
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology, University of Würzburg, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Martin Pauli
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology, University of Würzburg, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Genevieve M. Auger
- Division of General Biochemistry, Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Grit Bornschein
- Carl Ludwig Institute of Physiology, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nicole Scholz
- Division of General Biochemistry, Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Dmitrij Ljaschenko
- Division of General Biochemistry, Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martin Müller
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Markus Sauer
- Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Hartmut Schmidt
- Carl Ludwig Institute of Physiology, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Robert J. Kittel
- Carl Ludwig Institute of Physiology, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Aaron DiAntonio
- Department of Molecular Biology and Pharmacology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | | | - Manfred Heckmann
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology, University of Würzburg, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Langenhan
- Division of General Biochemistry, Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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Wichmann C, Kuner T. Heterogeneity of glutamatergic synapses: cellular mechanisms and network consequences. Physiol Rev 2022; 102:269-318. [PMID: 34727002 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00039.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemical synapses are commonly known as a structurally and functionally highly diverse class of cell-cell contacts specialized to mediate communication between neurons. They represent the smallest "computational" unit of the brain and are typically divided into excitatory and inhibitory as well as modulatory categories. These categories are subdivided into diverse types, each representing a different structure-function repertoire that in turn are thought to endow neuronal networks with distinct computational properties. The diversity of structure and function found among a given category of synapses is referred to as heterogeneity. The main building blocks for this heterogeneity are synaptic vesicles, the active zone, the synaptic cleft, the postsynaptic density, and glial processes associated with the synapse. Each of these five structural modules entails a distinct repertoire of functions, and their combination specifies the range of functional heterogeneity at mammalian excitatory synapses, which are the focus of this review. We describe synapse heterogeneity that is manifested on different levels of complexity ranging from the cellular morphology of the pre- and postsynaptic cells toward the expression of different protein isoforms at individual release sites. We attempt to define the range of structural building blocks that are used to vary the basic functional repertoire of excitatory synaptic contacts and discuss sources and general mechanisms of synapse heterogeneity. Finally, we explore the possible impact of synapse heterogeneity on neuronal network function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Wichmann
- Molecular Architecture of Synapses Group, Institute for Auditory Neuroscience, InnerEarLab and Institute for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Kuner
- Department of Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Heidelberg, Germany
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10
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Aleksejenko N, Heller J. Super-resolution imaging to reveal the nanostructure of tripartite synapses. Neuronal Signal 2021; 5:NS20210003. [PMID: 34737894 PMCID: PMC8536832 DOI: 10.1042/ns20210003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Even though neurons are the main drivers of information processing in the brain and spinal cord, other cell types are important to mediate adequate flow of information. These include electrically passive glial cells such as microglia and astrocytes, which recently emerged as active partners facilitating proper signal transduction. In disease, these cells undergo pathophysiological changes that propel disease progression and change synaptic connections and signal transmission. In the healthy brain, astrocytic processes contact pre- and postsynaptic structures. These processes can be nanoscopic, and therefore only electron microscopy has been able to reveal their structure and morphology. However, electron microscopy is not suitable in revealing dynamic changes, and it is labour- and time-intensive. The dawn of super-resolution microscopy, techniques that 'break' the diffraction limit of conventional light microscopy, over the last decades has enabled researchers to reveal the nanoscopic synaptic environment. In this review, we highlight and discuss recent advances in our understanding of the nano-world of the so-called tripartite synapses, the relationship between pre- and postsynapse as well as astrocytic processes. Overall, novel super-resolution microscopy methods are needed to fully illuminate the intimate relationship between glia and neuronal cells that underlies signal transduction in the brain and that might be affected in diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalija Aleksejenko
- School of Biotechnology and National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology (NICB), Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Ireland
| | - Janosch P. Heller
- School of Biotechnology and National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology (NICB), Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Ireland
- Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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11
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Lee BJ, Yang CH, Lee SY, Lee SH, Kim Y, Ho WK. Voltage-gated calcium channels contribute to spontaneous glutamate release directly via nanodomain coupling or indirectly via calmodulin. Prog Neurobiol 2021; 208:102182. [PMID: 34695543 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2021.102182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Neurotransmitter release occurs either synchronously with action potentials (evoked release) or spontaneously (spontaneous release). Whether the molecular mechanisms underlying evoked and spontaneous release are identical, especially whether voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) can trigger spontaneous events, is still a matter of debate in glutamatergic synapses. To elucidate this issue, we characterized the VGCC dependence of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) in various synapses with different coupling distances between VGCCs and synaptic vesicles, known as a critical factor in evoked release. We found that most of the extracellular calcium-dependent mEPSCs were attributable to VGCCs in cultured autaptic hippocampal neurons and the mature calyx of Held where VGCCs and vesicles were tightly coupled. Among loosely coupled synapses, mEPSCs were not VGCC-dependent at immature calyx of Held and CA1 pyramidal neuron synapses, whereas VGCCs contribution was significant at CA3 pyramidal neuron synapses. Interestingly, the contribution of VGCCs to spontaneous glutamate release in CA3 pyramidal neurons was abolished by a calmodulin antagonist, calmidazolium. These data suggest that coupling distance between VGCCs and vesicles determines VGCC dependence of spontaneous release at tightly coupled synapses, yet VGCC contribution can be achieved indirectly at loosely coupled synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byoung Ju Lee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Natural Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Che Ho Yang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Natural Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Seoul National University College of Natural Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Yeon Lee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Natural Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Suk-Ho Lee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Natural Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Republic of Korea; Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Seoul National University College of Natural Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yujin Kim
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Natural Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Republic of Korea; Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Seoul National University College of Natural Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Won-Kyung Ho
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Natural Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Republic of Korea; Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Seoul National University College of Natural Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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12
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Abstract
Fluorescence imaging techniques play a pivotal role in our understanding of the nervous system. The emergence of various super-resolution microscopy methods and specialized fluorescent probes enables direct insight into neuronal structure and protein arrangements in cellular subcompartments with so far unmatched resolution. Super-resolving visualization techniques in neurons unveil a novel understanding of cytoskeletal composition, distribution, motility, and signaling of membrane proteins, subsynaptic structure and function, and neuron-glia interaction. Well-defined molecular targets in autoimmune and neurodegenerative disease models provide excellent starting points for in-depth investigation of disease pathophysiology using novel and innovative imaging methodology. Application of super-resolution microscopy in human brain samples and for testing clinical biomarkers is still in its infancy but opens new opportunities for translational research in neurology and neuroscience. In this review, we describe how super-resolving microscopy has improved our understanding of neuronal and brain function and dysfunction in the last two decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Werner
- Department of Biotechnology & Biophysics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Markus Sauer
- Department of Biotechnology & Biophysics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Christian Geis
- Section Translational Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany
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13
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Satake SI, Konishi S. Topographical distance between presynaptic Ca 2+ channels and exocytotic Ca 2+ sensors contributes to differential facilitatory actions of roscovitine on neurotransmitter release at cerebellar glutamatergic and GABAergic synapses. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:7048-7062. [PMID: 34622493 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Calcium influx into presynaptic terminals through voltage-gated Ca2+ channels triggers univesicular or multivesicular release of neurotransmitters depending on the characteristics of the release machinery. However, the mechanisms underlying multivesicular release (MVR) and its regulation remain unclear. Previous studies showed that in rat cerebellum, the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor roscovitine profoundly increases excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC) amplitudes at granule cell (GC)-Purkinje cell (PC) synapses by enhancing the MVR of glutamate. This compound can also moderately augment the amplitude and prolong the decay time of inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) at molecular layer interneuron (MLI)-PC synapses via MVR enhancement and GABA spillover, thus allowing for persistent activation of perisynaptic GABA receptors. The enhanced MVR may depend on the driving force for Cav 2.1 channel-mediated Ca2+ influx. To determine whether the distinct spatiotemporal dynamics of presynaptic Ca2+ influence MVR, we compared the effects of slow and fast Ca2+ chelators, that is, EGTA and BAPTA, respectively, on roscovitine-induced actions at GC-PC and MLI-PC synapses. Membrane-permeable EGTA-AM decreased GC-PC EPSC and MLI-PC IPSC amplitudes to a similar extent but suppressed the roscovitine-induced enhancement of EPSCs. In contrast, BAPTA-AM attenuated the effects of roscovitine on IPSCs. These results suggest that roscovitine augmented glutamate release by activating the release machinery located distally from the Cav 2.1 channel clusters, while it enhanced GABA release in a manner less dependent on those at distal sites. Therefore, the spatial relationships among Ca2+ channels, buffers, and sensors are critical determinants of the differential facilitatory actions of roscovitine on glutamatergic and GABAergic synapses in the cerebellar cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin' Ichiro Satake
- Brain Research Support Center, National Institute for Physiological Sciences (NIPS), Okazaki, Japan.,School of Life Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Okazaki, Japan
| | - Shiro Konishi
- Department of Neurophysiology, Kagawa School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University, Sanuki, Japan
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14
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NMDARs in granule cells contribute to parallel fiber-Purkinje cell synaptic plasticity and motor learning. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2102635118. [PMID: 34507990 PMCID: PMC8449340 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2102635118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-term synaptic plasticity is believed to be the cellular substrate of learning and memory. Synaptic plasticity rules are defined by the specific complement of receptors at the synapse and the associated downstream signaling mechanisms. In young rodents, at the cerebellar synapse between granule cells (GC) and Purkinje cells (PC), bidirectional plasticity is shaped by the balance between transcellular nitric oxide (NO) driven by presynaptic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) activation and postsynaptic calcium dynamics. However, the role and the location of NMDAR activation in these pathways is still debated in mature animals. Here, we show in adult rodents that NMDARs are present and functional in presynaptic terminals where their activation triggers NO signaling. In addition, we find that selective genetic deletion of presynaptic, but not postsynaptic, NMDARs prevents synaptic plasticity at parallel fiber-PC (PF-PC) synapses. Consistent with this finding, the selective deletion of GC NMDARs affects adaptation of the vestibulo-ocular reflex. Thus, NMDARs presynaptic to PCs are required for bidirectional synaptic plasticity and cerebellar motor learning.
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15
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Pham L, Wright DK, O'Brien WT, Bain J, Huang C, Sun M, Casillas-Espinosa PM, Shah AD, Schittenhelm RB, Sobey CG, Brady RD, O'Brien TJ, Mychasiuk R, Shultz SR, McDonald SJ. Behavioral, axonal, and proteomic alterations following repeated mild traumatic brain injury: Novel insights using a clinically relevant rat model. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 148:105151. [PMID: 33127468 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A history of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is linked to a number of chronic neurological conditions, however there is still much unknown about the underlying mechanisms. To provide new insights, this study used a clinically relevant model of repeated mTBI in rats to characterize the acute and chronic neuropathological and neurobehavioral consequences of these injuries. Rats were given four sham-injuries or four mTBIs and allocated to 7-day or 3.5-months post-injury recovery groups. Behavioral analysis assessed sensorimotor function, locomotion, anxiety, and spatial memory. Neuropathological analysis included serum quantification of neurofilament light (NfL), mass spectrometry of the hippocampal proteome, and ex vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Repeated mTBI rats had evidence of acute cognitive deficits and prolonged sensorimotor impairments. Serum NfL was elevated at 7 days post injury, with levels correlating with sensorimotor deficits; however, no NfL differences were observed at 3.5 months. Several hippocampal proteins were altered by repeated mTBI, including those associated with energy metabolism, neuroinflammation, and impaired neurogenic capacity. Diffusion MRI analysis at 3.5 months found widespread reductions in white matter integrity. Taken together, these findings provide novel insights into the nature and progression of repeated mTBI neuropathology that may underlie lingering or chronic neurobehavioral deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Pham
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - David K Wright
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - William T O'Brien
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Jesse Bain
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Cheng Huang
- Monash Proteomics & Metabolomics Facility, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Mujun Sun
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Pablo M Casillas-Espinosa
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia; Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Anup D Shah
- Monash Proteomics & Metabolomics Facility, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia; Monash Bioinformatics Platform, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Ralf B Schittenhelm
- Monash Proteomics & Metabolomics Facility, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Christopher G Sobey
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Rhys D Brady
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia; Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Terence J O'Brien
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia; Department of Neurology, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia; Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Richelle Mychasiuk
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Sandy R Shultz
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia; Department of Neurology, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia; Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Stuart J McDonald
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia; Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia.
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16
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Vishnyakova PA, Moiseev KY, Spirichev AA, Emanuilov AI, Nozdrachev AD, Masliukov PM. Expression of calbindin and calretinin in the dorsomedial and ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei during aging. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2020; 304:1094-1104. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.24536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Polina A. Vishnyakova
- Department of Normal Physiology and Biophysics Yaroslavl State Medical University Yaroslavl Russia
| | - Konstantin Yu. Moiseev
- Department of Normal Physiology and Biophysics Yaroslavl State Medical University Yaroslavl Russia
| | - Andrey A. Spirichev
- Department of Normal Physiology and Biophysics Yaroslavl State Medical University Yaroslavl Russia
| | - Andrey I. Emanuilov
- Department of Normal Physiology and Biophysics Yaroslavl State Medical University Yaroslavl Russia
| | | | - Petr M. Masliukov
- Department of Normal Physiology and Biophysics Yaroslavl State Medical University Yaroslavl Russia
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17
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Bornschein G, Eilers J, Schmidt H. Neocortical High Probability Release Sites Are Formed by Distinct Ca 2+ Channel-to-Release Sensor Topographies during Development. Cell Rep 2020; 28:1410-1418.e4. [PMID: 31390556 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Revised: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Coupling distances between Ca2+ channels and release sensors regulate vesicular release probability (pv). Tight coupling is thought to provide a framework for high pv and loose coupling for high plasticity at low pv. At synapses investigated during development, coupling distances decrease, thereby increasing pv and transmission fidelity. We find that neocortical high-fidelity synapses deviate from these rules. Paired recordings from pyramidal neurons with "slow" and "fast" Ca2+ chelators combined with experimentally constrained simulations suggest that coupling tightens significantly during development. However, fluctuation analysis revealed that neither pv (∼0.63) nor the number of release sites (∼8) changes concomitantly. Moreover, the amplitude and time course of presynaptic Ca2+ transients are not different between age groups. These results are explained by high-pv release sites with Ca2+ microdomains in young synapses and nanodomains in mature synapses. Thus, at neocortical synapses, a developmental reorganization of the active zone leaves pv unaffected, emphasizing developmental and functional synaptic diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grit Bornschein
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Liebigstrasse 27a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Jens Eilers
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Liebigstrasse 27a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hartmut Schmidt
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Liebigstrasse 27a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
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18
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Nosov G, Kahms M, Klingauf J. The Decade of Super-Resolution Microscopy of the Presynapse. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2020; 12:32. [PMID: 32848695 PMCID: PMC7433402 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2020.00032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The presynaptic compartment of the chemical synapse is a small, yet extremely complex structure. Considering its size, most methods of optical microscopy are not able to resolve its nanoarchitecture and dynamics. Thus, its ultrastructure could only be studied by electron microscopy. In the last decade, new methods of optical superresolution microscopy have emerged allowing the study of cellular structures and processes at the nanometer scale. While this is a welcome addition to the experimental arsenal, it has necessitated careful analysis and interpretation to ensure the data obtained remains artifact-free. In this article we review the application of nanoscopic techniques to the study of the synapse and the progress made over the last decade with a particular focus on the presynapse. We find to our surprise that progress has been limited, calling for imaging techniques and probes that allow dense labeling, multiplexing, longer imaging times, higher temporal resolution, while at least maintaining the spatial resolution achieved thus far.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgii Nosov
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.,CIM-IMPRS Graduate Program in Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Martin Kahms
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Jurgen Klingauf
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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19
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Mechanisms and Functional Consequences of Presynaptic Homeostatic Plasticity at Auditory Nerve Synapses. J Neurosci 2020; 40:6896-6909. [PMID: 32747441 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1175-19.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2019] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple forms of homeostasis influence synaptic function under diverse activity conditions. Both presynaptic and postsynaptic forms of homeostasis are important, but their relative impact on fidelity is unknown. To address this issue, we studied auditory nerve synapses onto bushy cells in the cochlear nucleus of mice of both sexes. These synapses undergo bidirectional presynaptic and postsynaptic homeostatic changes with increased and decreased acoustic stimulation. We found that both young and mature synapses exhibit similar activity-dependent changes in short-term depression. Experiments using chelators and imaging both indicated that presynaptic Ca2+ influx decreased after noise exposure, and increased after ligating the ear canal. By contrast, Ca2+ cooperativity was unaffected. Experiments using specific antagonists suggest that occlusion leads to changes in the Ca2+ channel subtypes driving neurotransmitter release. Furthermore, dynamic-clamp experiments revealed that spike fidelity primarily depended on changes in presynaptic depression, with some contribution from changes in postsynaptic intrinsic properties. These experiments indicate that presynaptic Ca2+ influx is homeostatically regulated in vivo to enhance synaptic fidelity.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Homeostatic mechanisms in synapses maintain stable function in the face of different levels of activity. Both juvenile and mature auditory nerve synapses onto bushy cells modify short-term depression in different acoustic environments, which raises the question of what the underlying presynaptic mechanisms are and the relative importance of presynaptic and postsynaptic contributions to the faithful transfer of information. Changes in short-term depression under different acoustic conditions were a result of changes in presynaptic Ca2+ influx. Spike fidelity was affected by both presynaptic and postsynaptic changes after ear occlusion and was only affected by presynaptic changes after noise-rearing. These findings are important for understanding regulation of auditory synapses under normal conditions and also in disorders following noise exposure or conductive hearing loss.
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20
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Malagon G, Miki T, Tran V, Gomez LC, Marty A. Incomplete vesicular docking limits synaptic strength under high release probability conditions. eLife 2020; 9:e52137. [PMID: 32228859 PMCID: PMC7136020 DOI: 10.7554/elife.52137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Central mammalian synapses release synaptic vesicles in dedicated structures called docking/release sites. It has been assumed that when voltage-dependent calcium entry is sufficiently large, synaptic output attains a maximum value of one synaptic vesicle per action potential and per site. Here we use deconvolution to count synaptic vesicle output at single sites (mean site number per synapse: 3.6). When increasing calcium entry with tetraethylammonium in 1.5 mM external calcium concentration, we find that synaptic output saturates at 0.22 vesicle per site, not at 1 vesicle per site. Fitting the results with current models of calcium-dependent exocytosis indicates that the 0.22 vesicle limit reflects the probability of docking sites to be occupied by synaptic vesicles at rest, as only docked vesicles can be released. With 3 mM external calcium, the maximum output per site increases to 0.47, indicating an increase in docking site occupancy as a function of external calcium concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerardo Malagon
- Université de Paris, SPPIN-Saints Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences, CNRSParisFrance
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington UniversitySt. LouisUnited States
| | - Takafumi Miki
- Université de Paris, SPPIN-Saints Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences, CNRSParisFrance
- Graduate School of Brain Science, Doshisha UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Van Tran
- Université de Paris, SPPIN-Saints Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences, CNRSParisFrance
| | - Laura C Gomez
- Université de Paris, SPPIN-Saints Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences, CNRSParisFrance
| | - Alain Marty
- Université de Paris, SPPIN-Saints Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences, CNRSParisFrance
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21
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Bornschein G, Brachtendorf S, Schmidt H. Developmental Increase of Neocortical Presynaptic Efficacy via Maturation of Vesicle Replenishment. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2020; 11:36. [PMID: 32009937 PMCID: PMC6974464 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2019.00036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The efficacy of neocortical synapses to transmit during bursts of action potentials (APs) increases during development but the underlying mechanisms are largely unclear. We investigated synaptic efficacy at synapses between layer 5 pyramidal neurons (L5PNs) during development, using paired recordings, presynaptic two-photon Ca2+ imaging, and numerical simulations. Our data confirm a developmental increase in paired-pulse ratios (PPRs). Independent of age, Ca2+ imaging revealed no AP invasion failures and linear summation of presynaptic Ca2+ transients, making differences in Ca2+ signaling an unlikely reason for developmental changes in PPR. Cumulative excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC) amplitudes indicate that neither the size of the readily-releasable pool (RRP) nor replenishment rates were different between age groups, while the time-courses of depression differed significantly. At young synapses, EPSCs depressed rapidly to near steady-state during the first four APs, and synaptic failures (Fsyn) increased from 0 to 30%. At mature synapses this drop was significantly slower and strongly biphasic, such that near steady-state depression was reached not before 18 APs with Fsyn remaining between 0 and 5%. While young synapses reliably transmitted during pairs of APs, albeit with strong depression, mature synapses maintained near 100% transfer efficacy with significantly less depression during high-frequency bursts of APs. Our analysis indicates that at mature synapses a replenishment pool (RepP) is responsible for their high efficacy during bursting activity, while this RepP is functionally immature at young synapses. Hence, our data provide evidence that the functional maturation of a RepP underlies increasing synaptic efficacy during the development of an excitatory cortical synapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grit Bornschein
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Simone Brachtendorf
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hartmut Schmidt
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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22
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Nakamura Y. EGTA Can Inhibit Vesicular Release in the Nanodomain of Single Ca 2+ Channels. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2019; 11:26. [PMID: 31632263 PMCID: PMC6779814 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2019.00026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The exogenous Ca2+ chelator EGTA (ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid) has been widely used to probe the coupling distance between Ca2+ channels and vesicular Ca2+ sensors for neurotransmitter release. Because of its slow forward rate for binding, EGTA is thought to not capture calcium ions in very proximity to a channel, whereas it does capture calcium ions at the remote distance. However, in this study, our reaction diffusion simulations (RDSs) of Ca2+ combined with a release calculation using vesicular sensor models indicate that a high concentration of EGTA decreases Ca2+ and vesicular release in the nanodomain of single channels. We found that a key determinant of the effect of EGTA on neurotransmitter release is the saturation of the vesicular sensor. When the sensor is saturated, the reduction in the Ca2+ concentration by EGTA is masked. By contrast, when the sensor is in a linear range, even a small reduction in Ca2+ by EGTA can decrease vesicular release. In proximity to a channel, the vesicular sensor is often saturated for a long voltage step, but not for a brief Ca2+ influx typically evoked by an action potential. Therefore, when EGTA is used as a diagnostic tool to probe the coupling distance, care must be taken regarding the presynaptic Ca2+ entry duration as well as the property of the vesicular Ca2+ sensor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukihiro Nakamura
- Department of Pharmacology, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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23
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Synaptotagmin 7 Mediates Both Facilitation and Asynchronous Release at Granule Cell Synapses. J Neurosci 2019; 38:3240-3251. [PMID: 29593071 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3207-17.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Revised: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
When an action potential invades a presynaptic terminal it evokes large, brief Ca2+ signals that trigger vesicle fusion within milliseconds that is followed by a small residual Ca2+ (Cares) signal. At many synapses Cares produces synaptic facilitation that lasts up to hundreds of milliseconds and, although less common, Cares can also evoke asynchronous release (AR) that persists for tens of milliseconds. The properties of facilitation and AR are very different, which suggests that they are mediated by distinct mechanisms. However, recently it has been shown that the slow calcium sensor synaptotagmin 7 (Syt7) mediates facilitation at many synapses where AR does not occur, and conversely Syt7 can mediate AR without mediating facilitation. Here we study cerebellar granule cell synapses onto stellate cells and Purkinje cells in mice of both sexes to assess the role of Syt7 in these phenomena at the same synapse. This is of particular interest at granule cell synapses where AR is much more calcium dependent and shorter-lived than facilitation. We find that Syt7 can mediate these two processes despite their divergent properties. In Syt7 knock-out animals, facilitation and AR are smaller and shorter lived than in wild-type animals, even though the initial probability of release and Cares signals are unchanged. Although there are short-lived Syt7-independent mechanisms that mediate facilitation and AR in Syt7 KO animals, we find that at granule cell synapses AR and facilitation are both mediated primarily by Syt7.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT At synapses made by cerebellar granule cells, presynaptic activity elevates calcium for tens of milliseconds, which in turn evokes both asynchronous release (AR) and synaptic facilitation. AR is more calcium sensitive and shorter-lived than facilitation at these synapses, suggesting that they are mediated by different mechanisms. However, we find that the slow calcium sensor synaptotagmin 7 mediates both of these phenomena. Small, rapidly decaying components of AR and facilitation are present in Syt7 KO animals, indicating that additional mechanisms can contribute to both AR and facilitation at these synapses.
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24
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Distinct Nanoscale Calcium Channel and Synaptic Vesicle Topographies Contribute to the Diversity of Synaptic Function. Neuron 2019; 104:693-710.e9. [PMID: 31558350 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The nanoscale topographical arrangement of voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCC) and synaptic vesicles (SVs) determines synaptic strength and plasticity, but whether distinct spatial distributions underpin diversity of synaptic function is unknown. We performed single bouton Ca2+ imaging, Ca2+ chelator competition, immunogold electron microscopic (EM) localization of VGCCs and the active zone (AZ) protein Munc13-1, at two cerebellar synapses. Unexpectedly, we found that weak synapses exhibited 3-fold more VGCCs than strong synapses, while the coupling distance was 5-fold longer. Reaction-diffusion modeling could explain both functional and structural data with two strikingly different nanotopographical motifs: strong synapses are composed of SVs that are tightly coupled (∼10 nm) to VGCC clusters, whereas at weak synapses VGCCs were excluded from the vicinity (∼50 nm) of docked vesicles. The distinct VGCC-SV topographical motifs also confer differential sensitivity to neuromodulation. Thus, VGCC-SV arrangements are not canonical, and their diversity could underlie functional heterogeneity across CNS synapses.
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25
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Schmidt H. Control of Presynaptic Parallel Fiber Efficacy by Activity-Dependent Regulation of the Number of Occupied Release Sites. Front Syst Neurosci 2019; 13:30. [PMID: 31379524 PMCID: PMC6650762 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2019.00030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Parallel fiber (PF) synapses show pronounced and lasting facilitation during bursts of high-frequency activity. They typically connect to their target neurons via a single active zone (AZ), harboring few release sites (~2-8) with moderate initial vesicular release probability (~0.2-0.4). In light of these biophysical characteristics, it seems surprising that PF synapses can sustain facilitation during high-frequency periods of tens of action potentials (APs). Recent findings suggest an increase in the number of occupied release sites due to ultra-rapid (~180 s-1), Ca2+ dependent recruitment of synaptic vesicles (SVs) from replenishment sites as major presynaptic mechanism of this lasting facilitation. On the molecular level, Synaptotagmin 7 or Munc13s have been suggested to be involved in mediating facilitation at PF synapses. The recruitment of SVs from replenishment sites appears to be reversible on a slower time-scale, thereby, explaining that PF synapses rapidly depress and ultimately become silent during low-frequency activity. Hence, PF synapses show high-frequency facilitation (HFF) but low-frequency depression (LFD). This behavior is explained by regulation of the number of occupied release sites at the AZ by AP frequency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hartmut Schmidt
- Carl-Ludwig Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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26
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Miki T. What We Can Learn From Cumulative Numbers of Vesicular Release Events. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:257. [PMID: 31293386 PMCID: PMC6598442 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Following action potential invasion in presynaptic terminals, synaptic vesicles are released in a stochastic manner at release sites (docking sites). Since neurotransmission occurs at frequencies up to 1 kHz, the mechanisms underlying consecutive vesicle releases at a docking site during high frequency bursts is a key factor for understanding the role and strength of the synapse. Particularly new vesicle recruitment at the docking site during neuronal activity is thought to be crucial for short-term plasticity. However current studies have not reached a unified docking site model for central synapses. Here I review newly developed analyses that can provide insight into docking site models. Quantal analysis using counts of vesicular release events provide a wealth of information not only to monitor the number of docking sites, but also to distinguish among docking site models. The stochastic properties of cumulative release number during bursts allow us to estimate the total number of releasable vesicles and to deduce the features of vesicle recruitment at docking sites and the change of release probability during bursts. This analytical method may contribute to a comprehensive understanding of release/replenishment mechanisms at a docking site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takafumi Miki
- Graduate School of Brain Science, Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan
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Kusch V, Bornschein G, Loreth D, Bank J, Jordan J, Baur D, Watanabe M, Kulik A, Heckmann M, Eilers J, Schmidt H. Munc13-3 Is Required for the Developmental Localization of Ca 2+ Channels to Active Zones and the Nanopositioning of Ca v2.1 Near Release Sensors. Cell Rep 2019; 22:1965-1973. [PMID: 29466725 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Spatial relationships between Cav channels and release sensors at active zones (AZs) are a major determinant of synaptic fidelity. They are regulated developmentally, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unclear. Here, we show that Munc13-3 regulates the density of Cav2.1 and Cav2.2 channels, alters the localization of Cav2.1, and is required for the development of tight, nanodomain coupling at parallel-fiber AZs. We combined EGTA application and Ca2+-channel pharmacology in electrophysiological and two-photon Ca2+ imaging experiments with quantitative freeze-fracture immunoelectron microscopy and mathematical modeling. We found that a normally occurring developmental shift from release being dominated by Ca2+ influx through Cav2.1 and Cav2.2 channels with domain overlap and loose coupling (microdomains) to a nanodomain Cav2.1 to sensor coupling is impaired in Munc13-3-deficient synapses. Thus, at AZs lacking Munc13-3, release remained triggered by Cav2.1 and Cav2.2 microdomains, suggesting a critical role of Munc13-3 in the formation of release sites with calcium channel nanodomains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentin Kusch
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Liebigstrasse 27, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Grit Bornschein
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Liebigstrasse 27, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Desiree Loreth
- Institute of Physiology II, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Julia Bank
- Institute of Physiology II, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Johannes Jordan
- Institute of Physiology II, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - David Baur
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Liebigstrasse 27, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Masahiko Watanabe
- Department of Anatomy, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
| | - Akos Kulik
- Institute of Physiology II, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany; BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Manfred Heckmann
- Department of Physiology, Neurophysiology, Medical Faculty, University of Würzburg, Röntgenring 9, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jens Eilers
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Liebigstrasse 27, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hartmut Schmidt
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Liebigstrasse 27, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
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Heck J, Parutto P, Ciuraszkiewicz A, Bikbaev A, Freund R, Mitlöhner J, Andres-Alonso M, Fejtova A, Holcman D, Heine M. Transient Confinement of Ca V2.1 Ca 2+-Channel Splice Variants Shapes Synaptic Short-Term Plasticity. Neuron 2019; 103:66-79.e12. [PMID: 31104951 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.04.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2018] [Revised: 01/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The precision and reliability of synaptic information transfer depend on the molecular organization of voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) within the presynaptic membrane. Alternative splicing of exon 47 affects the C-terminal structure of VGCCs and their affinity to intracellular partners and synaptic vesicles (SVs). We show that hippocampal synapses expressing VGCCs either with exon 47 (CaV2.1+47) or without (CaV2.1Δ47) differ in release probability and short-term plasticity. Tracking single channels revealed transient visits (∼100 ms) of presynaptic VGCCs in nanodomains (∼80 nm) that were controlled by neuronal network activity. Surprisingly, despite harboring prominent binding sites to scaffold proteins, CaV2.1+47 persistently displayed higher mobility within nanodomains. Synaptic accumulation of CaV2.1 was accomplished by optogenetic clustering, but only CaV2.1+47 increased transmitter release and enhanced synaptic short-term depression. We propose that exon 47-related alternative splicing of CaV2.1 channels controls synapse-specific release properties at the level of channel mobility-dependent coupling between VGCCs and SVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Heck
- Research Group Molecular Physiology, Leibniz-Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestr. 6, 39118 Magdeburg, Germany; Research Group Functional Neurobiology at the Institute of Developmental Biology and Neurobiology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Pierre Parutto
- Group of Applied Mathematics and Computational Biology, IBENS, Ecole Normale Superieure, Paris, France
| | - Anna Ciuraszkiewicz
- Research Group Molecular Physiology, Leibniz-Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestr. 6, 39118 Magdeburg, Germany; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Arthur Bikbaev
- Research Group Molecular Physiology, Leibniz-Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestr. 6, 39118 Magdeburg, Germany; Research Group Functional Neurobiology at the Institute of Developmental Biology and Neurobiology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Romy Freund
- Research Group Molecular Physiology, Leibniz-Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestr. 6, 39118 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Jessica Mitlöhner
- Department of Neurochemistry and Molecular Biology, Leibniz-Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestr. 6, 39118 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Maria Andres-Alonso
- Research Group Presynaptic Plasticity, Leibniz-Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestr. 6, 39118 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Anna Fejtova
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany; Research Group Presynaptic Plasticity, Leibniz-Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestr. 6, 39118 Magdeburg, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - David Holcman
- Group of Applied Mathematics and Computational Biology, IBENS, Ecole Normale Superieure, Paris, France; Churchill College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0DS, UK.
| | - Martin Heine
- Research Group Molecular Physiology, Leibniz-Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestr. 6, 39118 Magdeburg, Germany; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany; Research Group Functional Neurobiology at the Institute of Developmental Biology and Neurobiology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
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Dorgans K, Demais V, Bailly Y, Poulain B, Isope P, Doussau F. Short-term plasticity at cerebellar granule cell to molecular layer interneuron synapses expands information processing. eLife 2019; 8:41586. [PMID: 31081751 PMCID: PMC6533085 DOI: 10.7554/elife.41586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 05/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Information processing by cerebellar molecular layer interneurons (MLIs) plays a crucial role in motor behavior. MLI recruitment is tightly controlled by the profile of short-term plasticity (STP) at granule cell (GC)-MLI synapses. While GCs are the most numerous neurons in the brain, STP diversity at GC-MLI synapses is poorly documented. Here, we studied how single MLIs are recruited by their distinct GC inputs during burst firing. Using slice recordings at individual GC-MLI synapses of mice, we revealed four classes of connections segregated by their STP profile. Each class differentially drives MLI recruitment. We show that GC synaptic diversity is underlain by heterogeneous expression of synapsin II, a key actor of STP and that GC terminals devoid of synapsin II are associated with slow MLI recruitment. Our study reveals that molecular, structural and functional diversity across GC terminals provides a mechanism to expand the coding range of MLIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Dorgans
- Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, CNRS UPR 3212, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Valérie Demais
- Plateforme Imagerie in vitro, CNRS UPS 3156, Strasbourg, France
| | - Yannick Bailly
- Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, CNRS UPR 3212, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.,Plateforme Imagerie in vitro, CNRS UPS 3156, Strasbourg, France
| | - Bernard Poulain
- Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, CNRS UPR 3212, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Philippe Isope
- Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, CNRS UPR 3212, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Frédéric Doussau
- Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, CNRS UPR 3212, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
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30
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Bornschein G, Schmidt H. Synaptotagmin Ca 2+ Sensors and Their Spatial Coupling to Presynaptic Ca v Channels in Central Cortical Synapses. Front Mol Neurosci 2019; 11:494. [PMID: 30697148 PMCID: PMC6341215 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Ca2+ concentrations drop rapidly over a distance of a few tens of nanometers from an open voltage-gated Ca2+ channel (Cav), thereby, generating a spatially steep and temporally short-lived Ca2+ gradient that triggers exocytosis of a neurotransmitter filled synaptic vesicle. These non-steady state conditions make the Ca2+-binding kinetics of the Ca2+ sensors for release and their spatial coupling to the Cavs important parameters of synaptic efficacy. In the mammalian central nervous system, the main release sensors linking action potential mediated Ca2+ influx to synchronous release are Synaptotagmin (Syt) 1 and 2. We review here quantitative work focusing on the Ca2+ kinetics of Syt2-mediated release. At present similar quantitative detail is lacking for Syt1-mediated release. In addition to triggering release, Ca2+ remaining bound to Syt after the first of two successive high-frequency activations was found to be capable of facilitating release during the second activation. More recently, the Ca2+ sensor Syt7 was identified as additional facilitation sensor. We further review how several recent functional studies provided quantitative insights into the spatial topographical relationships between Syts and Cavs and identified mechanisms regulating the sensor-to-channel coupling distances at presynaptic active zones. Most synapses analyzed in matured cortical structures were found to operate at tight, nanodomain coupling. For fast signaling synapses a developmental switch from loose, microdomain to tight, nanodomain coupling was found. The protein Septin5 has been known for some time as a developmentally down-regulated “inhibitor” of tight coupling, while Munc13-3 was found only recently to function as a developmentally up-regulated mediator of tight coupling. On the other hand, a highly plastic synapse was found to operate at loose coupling in the matured hippocampus. Together these findings suggest that the coupling topography and its regulation is a specificity of the type of synapse. However, to definitely draw such conclusion our knowledge of functional active zone topographies of different types of synapses in different areas of the mammalian brain is too incomplete.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grit Bornschein
- Carl-Ludwig Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hartmut Schmidt
- Carl-Ludwig Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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31
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32
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Ghelani T, Sigrist SJ. Coupling the Structural and Functional Assembly of Synaptic Release Sites. Front Neuroanat 2018; 12:81. [PMID: 30386217 PMCID: PMC6198076 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2018.00081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Information processing in our brains depends on the exact timing of calcium (Ca2+)-activated exocytosis of synaptic vesicles (SVs) from unique release sites embedded within the presynaptic active zones (AZs). While AZ scaffolding proteins obviously provide an efficient environment for release site function, the molecular design creating such release sites had remained unknown for a long time. Recent advances in visualizing the ultrastructure and topology of presynaptic protein architectures have started to elucidate how scaffold proteins establish “nanodomains” that connect voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (VGCCs) physically and functionally with release-ready SVs. Scaffold proteins here seem to operate as “molecular rulers or spacers,” regulating SV-VGCC physical distances within tens of nanometers and, thus, influence the probability and plasticity of SV release. A number of recent studies at Drosophila and mammalian synapses show that the stable positioning of discrete clusters of obligate release factor (M)Unc13 defines the position of SV release sites, and the differential expression of (M)Unc13 isoforms at synapses can regulate SV-VGCC coupling. We here review the organization of matured AZ scaffolds concerning their intrinsic organization and role for release site formation. Moreover, we also discuss insights into the developmental sequence of AZ assembly, which often entails a tightening between VGCCs and SV release sites. The findings discussed here are retrieved from vertebrate and invertebrate preparations and include a spectrum of methods ranging from cell biology, super-resolution light and electron microscopy to biophysical and electrophysiological analysis. Our understanding of how the structural and functional organization of presynaptic AZs are coupled has matured, as these processes are crucial for the understanding of synapse maturation and plasticity, and, thus, accurate information transfer and storage at chemical synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Ghelani
- Faculty of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stephan J Sigrist
- Faculty of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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33
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Two-component latency distributions indicate two-step vesicular release at simple glutamatergic synapses. Nat Commun 2018; 9:3943. [PMID: 30258069 PMCID: PMC6158186 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06336-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
It is often assumed that only stably docked synaptic vesicles can fuse following presynaptic action potential stimulation. However, during action potential trains docking sites are increasingly depleted, raising the question of the source of synaptic vesicles during sustained release. We have recently developed methods to reliably measure release latencies during high frequency trains at single synapses between parallel fibers and molecular layer interneurons. The latency distribution exhibits a single fast component at train onset but contains both a fast and a slow component later in the train. The contribution of the slow component increases with stimulation frequency and with release probability and decreases when blocking the docking step with latrunculin. These results suggest that the slow component reflects sequential docking and release in immediate succession. The transition from fast to slow component, as well as a later transition to asynchronous release, appear as successive adaptations of the synapse to maintain fidelity at the expense of time accuracy.
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34
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Nusser Z. Creating diverse synapses from the same molecules. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2018; 51:8-15. [DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2018.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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35
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Böhme MA, Grasskamp AT, Walter AM. Regulation of synaptic release-site Ca 2+ channel coupling as a mechanism to control release probability and short-term plasticity. FEBS Lett 2018; 592:3516-3531. [PMID: 29993122 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.13188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Revised: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Synaptic transmission relies on the rapid fusion of neurotransmitter-containing synaptic vesicles (SVs), which happens in response to action potential (AP)-induced Ca2+ influx at active zones (AZs). A highly conserved molecular machinery cooperates at SV-release sites to mediate SV plasma membrane attachment and maturation, Ca2+ sensing, and membrane fusion. Despite this high degree of conservation, synapses - even within the same organism, organ or neuron - are highly diverse regarding the probability of APs to trigger SV fusion. Additionally, repetitive activation can lead to either strengthening or weakening of transmission. In this review, we discuss mechanisms controlling release probability and this short-term plasticity. We argue that an important layer of control is exerted by evolutionarily conserved AZ scaffolding proteins, which determine the coupling distance between SV fusion sites and voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (VGCC) and, thereby, shape synapse-specific input/output behaviors. We propose that AZ-scaffold modifications may occur to adapt the coupling distance during synapse maturation and plastic regulation of synapse strength.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias A Böhme
- Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Alexander M Walter
- Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie, Berlin, Germany
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36
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Kawaguchi SY, Sakaba T. Fast Ca 2+ Buffer-Dependent Reliable but Plastic Transmission at Small CNS Synapses Revealed by Direct Bouton Recording. Cell Rep 2018; 21:3338-3345. [PMID: 29262314 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.11.072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2017] [Revised: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 11/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The small size of presynaptic structures and their rapid function have obscured the mechanisms underlying neurotransmission and plasticity. To dissect the function of conventional small presynaptic boutons, we performed direct recording using axon varicosities of cerebellar granule cells (GCs), a parallel-fiber bouton, in dissociated culture, in which pre- and postsynaptic paired recordings are feasible. Identification and accessibility of EGFP-labeled GC boutons allowed us to patch-clamp record presynaptic voltage-gated Ca2+ currents and membrane capacitances, together with excitatory postsynaptic currents. We find that GC boutons have 20 readily releasable vesicles, which are loosely coupled to Ca2+ channels and rapidly replenished, and that synaptic strength and short-term plasticity are tightly regulated by intracellular Ca2+ buffering. Our functional dissection of small boutons thus reveals the sophisticated design of small synapses capable of reliable but plastic outputs with limited resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin-Ya Kawaguchi
- Graduate School of Brain Science, Doshisha University, Tatara Miyakodani, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0394, Japan; Society-Academia Collaboration for Innovation, Kyoto University, Yoshida Honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Department of Biophysics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan.
| | - Takeshi Sakaba
- Graduate School of Brain Science, Doshisha University, Tatara Miyakodani, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0394, Japan
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37
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Short-Term Plasticity Combines with Excitation-Inhibition Balance to Expand Cerebellar Purkinje Cell Dynamic Range. J Neurosci 2018; 38:5153-5167. [PMID: 29720550 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3270-17.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Revised: 04/11/2018] [Accepted: 04/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The balance between excitation (E) and inhibition (I) in neuronal networks controls the firing rate of principal cells through simple network organization, such as feedforward inhibitory circuits. Here, we demonstrate in male mice, that at the granule cell (GrC)-molecular layer interneuron (MLI)-Purkinje cell (PC) pathway of the cerebellar cortex, E/I balance is dynamically controlled by short-term dynamics during bursts of stimuli, shaping cerebellar output. Using a combination of electrophysiological recordings, optogenetic stimulation, and modeling, we describe the wide range of bidirectional changes in PC discharge triggered by GrC bursts, from robust excitation to complete inhibition. At high frequency (200 Hz), increasing the number of pulses in a burst (from 3 to 7) can switch a net inhibition of PC to a net excitation. Measurements of EPSCs and IPSCs during bursts and modeling showed that this feature can be explained by the interplay between short-term dynamics of the GrC-MLI-PC pathway and E/I balance impinging on PC. Our findings demonstrate that PC firing rate is highly sensitive to the duration of GrC bursts, which may define a temporal-to-rate code transformation in the cerebellar cortex.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Sensorimotor information processing in the cerebellar cortex leads to the occurrence of a sequence of synaptic excitation and inhibition in Purkinje cells. Granule cells convey direct excitatory inputs and indirect inhibitory inputs to the Purkinje cells, through molecular layer interneurons, forming a feedforward inhibitory pathway. Using electrophysiological recordings, optogenetic stimulation, and mathematical modeling, we found that presynaptic short-term dynamics affect the balance between synaptic excitation and inhibition on Purkinje cells during high-frequency bursts and can reverse the sign of granule cell influence on Purkinje cell discharge when burst duration increases. We conclude that short-term dynamics may play an important role in transforming the duration of sensory inputs arriving on cerebellar granule cells into cerebellar cortical output firing rate.
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38
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Walter AM, Böhme MA, Sigrist SJ. Vesicle release site organization at synaptic active zones. Neurosci Res 2017; 127:3-13. [PMID: 29275162 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2017.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Revised: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Information transfer between nerve cells (neurons) forms the basis of behavior, emotion, and survival. Signal transduction from one neuron to another occurs at synapses, and relies on both electrical and chemical signal propagation. At chemical synapses, incoming electrical action potentials trigger the release of chemical neurotransmitters that are sensed by the connected cell and here reconverted to an electrical signal. The presynaptic conversion of an electrical to a chemical signal is an energy demanding, highly regulated process that relies on a complex, evolutionarily conserved molecular machinery. Here, we review the biophysical characteristics of this process, the current knowledge of the molecules operating in this reaction and genetic specializations that may have evolved to shape inter-neuronal signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander M Walter
- Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie, Robert-Roessle-Straße 10, Berlin 13125, Germany.
| | - Mathias A Böhme
- Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie, Robert-Roessle-Straße 10, Berlin 13125, Germany
| | - Stephan J Sigrist
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute for Biology/Genetics, Takustraße 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany; NeuroCure, Cluster of Excellence, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
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39
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Doussau F, Schmidt H, Dorgans K, Valera AM, Poulain B, Isope P. Frequency-dependent mobilization of heterogeneous pools of synaptic vesicles shapes presynaptic plasticity. eLife 2017; 6:28935. [PMID: 28990927 PMCID: PMC5648531 DOI: 10.7554/elife.28935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The segregation of the readily releasable pool of synaptic vesicles (RRP) in sub-pools that are differentially poised for exocytosis shapes short-term plasticity. However, the frequency-dependent mobilization of these sub-pools is poorly understood. Using slice recordings and modeling of synaptic activity at cerebellar granule cell to Purkinje cell synapses of mice, we describe two sub-pools in the RRP that can be differentially recruited upon ultrafast changes in the stimulation frequency. We show that at low-frequency stimulations, a first sub-pool is gradually silenced, leading to full blockage of synaptic transmission. Conversely, a second pool of synaptic vesicles that cannot be released by a single stimulus is recruited within milliseconds by high-frequency stimulation and support an ultrafast recovery of neurotransmitter release after low-frequency depression. This frequency-dependent mobilization or silencing of sub-pools in the RRP in terminals of granule cells may play a role in the filtering of sensorimotor information in the cerebellum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Doussau
- Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Hartmut Schmidt
- Carl-Ludwig Institute for Physiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kevin Dorgans
- Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Antoine M Valera
- Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Bernard Poulain
- Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Philippe Isope
- Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
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40
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The Coupling between Ca 2+ Channels and the Exocytotic Ca 2+ Sensor at Hair Cell Ribbon Synapses Varies Tonotopically along the Mature Cochlea. J Neurosci 2017; 37:2471-2484. [PMID: 28154149 PMCID: PMC5354352 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2867-16.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2016] [Revised: 01/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The cochlea processes auditory signals over a wide range of frequencies and intensities. However, the transfer characteristics at hair cell ribbon synapses are still poorly understood at different frequency locations along the cochlea. Using recordings from mature gerbils, we report here a surprisingly strong block of exocytosis by the slow Ca2+ buffer EGTA (10 mM) in basal hair cells tuned to high frequencies (∼30 kHz). In addition, using recordings from gerbil, mouse, and bullfrog auditory organs, we find that the spatial coupling between Ca2+ influx and exocytosis changes from nanodomain in low-frequency tuned hair cells (∼<2 kHz) to progressively more microdomain in high-frequency cells (∼>2 kHz). Hair cell synapses have thus developed remarkable frequency-dependent tuning of exocytosis: accurate low-latency encoding of onset and offset of sound intensity in the cochlea's base and submillisecond encoding of membrane receptor potential fluctuations in the apex for precise phase-locking to sound signals. We also found that synaptic vesicle pool recovery from depletion was sensitive to high concentrations of EGTA, suggesting that intracellular Ca2+ buffers play an important role in vesicle recruitment in both low- and high-frequency hair cells. In conclusion, our results indicate that microdomain coupling is important for exocytosis in high-frequency hair cells, suggesting a novel hypothesis for why these cells are more susceptible to sound-induced damage than low-frequency cells; high-frequency inner hair cells must have a low Ca2+ buffer capacity to sustain exocytosis, thus making them more prone to Ca2+-induced cytotoxicity. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In the inner ear, sensory hair cells signal reception of sound. They do this by converting the sound-induced movement of their hair bundles present at the top of these cells, into an electrical current. This current depolarizes the hair cell and triggers the calcium-induced release of the neurotransmitter glutamate that activates the postsynaptic auditory fibers. The speed and precision of this process enables the brain to perceive the vital components of sound, such as frequency and intensity. We show that the coupling strength between calcium channels and the exocytosis calcium sensor at inner hair cell synapses changes along the mammalian cochlea such that the timing and/or intensity of sound is encoded with high precision.
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Bruckner JJ, Zhan H, Gratz SJ, Rao M, Ukken F, Zilberg G, O'Connor-Giles KM. Fife organizes synaptic vesicles and calcium channels for high-probability neurotransmitter release. J Cell Biol 2016; 216:231-246. [PMID: 27998991 PMCID: PMC5223599 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201601098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2016] [Revised: 10/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Fife is a Piccolo-RIM–related protein that regulates neurotransmission and motor behavior through an unknown mechanism. Here, Bruckner et al. show that Fife organizes synaptic vesicle docking and coupling to calcium channels to establish and modulate synaptic strength. The strength of synaptic connections varies significantly and is a key determinant of communication within neural circuits. Mechanistic insight into presynaptic factors that establish and modulate neurotransmitter release properties is crucial to understanding synapse strength, circuit function, and neural plasticity. We previously identified Drosophila Piccolo-RIM-related Fife, which regulates neurotransmission and motor behavior through an unknown mechanism. Here, we demonstrate that Fife localizes and interacts with RIM at the active zone cytomatrix to promote neurotransmitter release. Loss of Fife results in the severe disruption of active zone cytomatrix architecture and molecular organization. Through electron tomographic and electrophysiological studies, we find a decrease in the accumulation of release-ready synaptic vesicles and their release probability caused by impaired coupling to Ca2+ channels. Finally, we find that Fife is essential for the homeostatic modulation of neurotransmission. We propose that Fife organizes active zones to create synaptic vesicle release sites within nanometer distance of Ca2+ channel clusters for reliable and modifiable neurotransmitter release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph J Bruckner
- Cell and Molecular Biology Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Hong Zhan
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Scott J Gratz
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Monica Rao
- Cell and Molecular Biology Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Fiona Ukken
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Gregory Zilberg
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Kate M O'Connor-Giles
- Cell and Molecular Biology Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706 .,Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706.,Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
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Delvendahl I, Hallermann S. The Cerebellar Mossy Fiber Synapse as a Model for High-Frequency Transmission in the Mammalian CNS. Trends Neurosci 2016; 39:722-737. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2016.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2016] [Revised: 09/17/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Stanley EF. Single calcium channel domain gating of synaptic vesicle fusion at fast synapses; analysis by graphic modeling. Channels (Austin) 2016; 9:324-33. [PMID: 26457441 PMCID: PMC4826128 DOI: 10.1080/19336950.2015.1098793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
At fast-transmitting presynaptic terminals Ca2+ enter through voltage gated calcium channels (CaVs) and bind to a synaptic vesicle (SV) -associated calcium sensor (SV-sensor) to gate fusion and discharge. An open CaV generates a high-concentration plume, or nanodomain of Ca2+ that dissipates precipitously with distance from the pore. At most fast synapses, such as the frog neuromuscular junction (NMJ), the SV sensors are located sufficiently close to individual CaVs to be gated by single nanodomains. However, at others, such as the mature rodent calyx of Held (calyx of Held), the physiology is more complex with evidence that CaVs that are both close and distant from the SV sensor and it is argued that release is gated primarily by the overlapping Ca2+ nanodomains from many CaVs. We devised a 'graphic modeling' method to sum Ca2+ from individual CaVs located at varying distances from the SV-sensor to determine the SV release probability and also the fraction of that probability that can be attributed to single domain gating. This method was applied first to simplified, low and high CaV density model release sites and then to published data on the contrasting frog NMJ and the rodent calyx of Held native synapses. We report 3 main predictions: the SV-sensor is positioned very close to the point at which the SV fuses with the membrane; single domain-release gating predominates even at synapses where the SV abuts a large cluster of CaVs, and even relatively remote CaVs can contribute significantly to single domain-based gating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise F Stanley
- a Toronto Western Research Institute ; Toronto , Ontario Canada
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44
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Cox DH. Modeling a Ca(2+) channel/BKCa channel complex at the single-complex level. Biophys J 2016; 107:2797-2814. [PMID: 25517147 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2014.10.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2014] [Revised: 09/26/2014] [Accepted: 10/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BKCa-channel activity often affects the firing properties of neurons, the shapes of neuronal action potentials (APs), and in some cases the extent of neurotransmitter release. It has become clear that BKCa channels often form complexes with voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels (CaV channels) such that when a CaV channel is activated, the ensuing influx of Ca(2+) activates its closely associated BKCa channel. Thus, in modeling the electrical properties of neurons, it would be useful to have quantitative models of CaV/BKCa complexes. Furthermore, in a population of CaV/BKCa complexes, all BKCa channels are not exposed to the same Ca(2+) concentration at the same time. Thus, stochastic rather than deterministic models are required. To date, however, no such models have been described. Here, however, I present a stochastic model of a CaV2.1/BKCa(α-only) complex, as might be found in a central nerve terminal. The CaV2.1/BKCa model is based on kinetic modeling of its two component channels at physiological temperature. Surprisingly, The CaV2.1/BKCa model predicts that although the CaV channel will open nearly every time during a typical cortical AP, its associated BKCa channel is expected to open in only 30% of trials, and this percentage is very sensitive to the duration of the AP, the distance between the two channels in the complex, and the presence of fast internal Ca(2+) buffers. Also, the model predicts that the kinetics of the BKCa currents of a population of CaV2.1/BKCa complexes will not be limited by the kinetics of the CaV2.1 channel, and during a train of APs, the current response of the complex is expected to faithfully follow even very rapid trains. Aside from providing insight into how these complexes are likely to behave in vivo, the models presented here could also be of use more generally as components of higher-level models of neural function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel H Cox
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.
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45
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Stanley EF. The Nanophysiology of Fast Transmitter Release. Trends Neurosci 2016; 39:183-197. [PMID: 26896416 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2016.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2015] [Revised: 01/16/2016] [Accepted: 01/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise F Stanley
- Laboratory of Synaptic Transmission, KD 7-418, The Krembil Institute, 60 Leonard Street, Toronto, ON M5T 2S8, Canada.
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Blum W, Pecze L, Felley-Bosco E, Schwaller B. Overexpression or absence of calretinin in mouse primary mesothelial cells inversely affects proliferation and cell migration. Respir Res 2015; 16:153. [PMID: 26695618 PMCID: PMC4699379 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-015-0311-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2015] [Accepted: 12/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Ca(2+)-binding protein calretinin is currently used as a positive marker for identifying epithelioid malignant mesothelioma (MM) and reactive mesothelium, but calretinin's likely role in mesotheliomagenesis remains unclear. Calretinin protects immortalized mesothelial cells in vitro from asbestos-induced cytotoxicity and thus might be implicated in mesothelioma formation. To further investigate calretinin's putative role in the early steps of MM generation, primary mesothelial cells from calretinin knockout (CR-/-) and wildtype (WT) mice were compared. METHODS Primary mouse mesothelial cells from WT and CR-/- mice were investigated with respect to morphology, marker proteins, proliferation, cell cycle parameters and mobility in vitro. Overexpression of calretinin or a nuclear-targeted variant was achieved by a lentiviral expression system. RESULTS CR-/- mice have a normal mesothelium and no striking morphological abnormalities compared to WT animals were noted. Primary mouse mesothelial cells from both genotypes show a typical "cobblestone-like" morphology and express mesothelial markers including mesothelin. In cells from CR-/- mice in vitro, we observed more giant cells and a significantly decreased proliferation rate. Up-regulation of calretinin in mesothelial cells of both genotypes increases the proliferation rate and induces a cobblestone-like epithelial morphology. The length of the S/G2/M phase is unchanged, however the G1 phase is clearly prolonged in CR-/- cells. They are also much slower to close a scratch in a confluent cell layer (2D-wound assay). In addition to a change in cell morphology, an increase in proliferation and mobility is observed, if calretinin overexpression is targeted to the nucleus. Thus, both calretinin and nuclear-targeted calretinin increase mesothelial cell proliferation and consequently, speed up the scratch-closure time. The increased rate of scratch closure in WT cells is the result of two processes: an increased proliferation rate and augmented cell mobility of the border cells migrating towards the empty space. CONCLUSIONS We hypothesize that the differences in proliferation and mobility between WT and CR-/- mesothelial cells are the likely result from differences in their developmental trajectories. The mechanistic understanding of the function of calretinin and its putative implication in signaling pathways in normal mesothelial cells may help understanding its role during the processes that lead to mesothelioma formation and could possibly open new avenues for mesothelioma therapy, either by directly targeting calretinin expression or indirectly by targeting calretinin-mediated downstream signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter Blum
- Unit of Anatomy, Department of Medicine, University of Fribourg, Route Albert-Gockel 1, CH-1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - László Pecze
- Unit of Anatomy, Department of Medicine, University of Fribourg, Route Albert-Gockel 1, CH-1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Emanuela Felley-Bosco
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, University Hospital Zürich, Labor 40E, Sternwartstrasse 14, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Beat Schwaller
- Unit of Anatomy, Department of Medicine, University of Fribourg, Route Albert-Gockel 1, CH-1700, Fribourg, Switzerland.
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Althof D, Baehrens D, Watanabe M, Suzuki N, Fakler B, Kulik Á. Inhibitory and excitatory axon terminals share a common nano-architecture of their Cav2.1 (P/Q-type) Ca(2+) channels. Front Cell Neurosci 2015; 9:315. [PMID: 26321916 PMCID: PMC4531237 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2015.00315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Tuning of the time course and strength of inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitter release is fundamental for the precise operation of cortical network activity and is controlled by Ca2+ influx into presynaptic terminals through the high voltage-activated P/Q-type Ca2+ (Cav2.1) channels. Proper channel-mediated Ca2+-signaling critically depends on the topographical arrangement of the channels in the presynaptic membrane. Here, we used high-resolution SDS-digested freeze-fracture replica immunoelectron microscopy together with automatized computational analysis of Cav2.1 immunogold labeling to determine the precise subcellular organization of Cav2.1 channels in both inhibitory and excitatory terminals. Immunoparticles labeling the pore-forming α1 subunit of Cav2.1 channels were enriched over the active zone of the boutons with the number of channels (3–62) correlated with the area of the synaptic membrane. Detailed analysis showed that Cav2.1 channels are non-uniformly distributed over the presynaptic membrane specialization where they are arranged in clusters of an average five channels per cluster covering a mean area with a diameter of about 70 nm. Importantly, clustered arrangement and cluster properties did not show any significant difference between GABAergic and glutamatergic terminals. Our data demonstrate a common nano-architecture of Cav2.1 channels in inhibitory and excitatory boutons in stratum radiatum of the hippocampal CA1 area suggesting that the cluster arrangement is crucial for the precise release of transmitters from the axonal boutons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Althof
- Institute of Physiology, University of Freiburg Freiburg, Germany
| | - David Baehrens
- Institute of Physiology, University of Freiburg Freiburg, Germany
| | - Masahiko Watanabe
- Department of Anatomy, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University Sapporo, Japan
| | - Noboru Suzuki
- Department of Animal Genomics, Functional Genomics Institute, Mie University Mie, Japan
| | - Bernd Fakler
- Institute of Physiology, University of Freiburg Freiburg, Germany ; Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ákos Kulik
- Institute of Physiology, University of Freiburg Freiburg, Germany ; Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg Freiburg, Germany
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Abstract
Calcium influx during action potentials triggers neurotransmitter release at presynaptic active zones. Calcium buffers limit the spread of calcium and restrict neurotransmitter release to the vicinity of calcium channels. To sustain synchronous release during repetitive activity, rapid removal of calcium from the active zone is essential, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Therefore, we focused on cerebellar mossy fiber synapses, which are among the fastest synapses in the mammalian brain and found very weak presynaptic calcium buffering. One might assume that strong calcium buffering has the potential to efficiently remove calcium from active zones. In contrast, our results show that weak calcium buffering speeds active zone calcium clearance. Thus, the strength of presynaptic buffering limits the rate of synaptic transmission. Fast synchronous neurotransmitter release at the presynaptic active zone is triggered by local Ca2+ signals, which are confined in their spatiotemporal extent by endogenous Ca2+ buffers. However, it remains elusive how rapid and reliable Ca2+ signaling can be sustained during repetitive release. Here, we established quantitative two-photon Ca2+ imaging in cerebellar mossy fiber boutons, which fire at exceptionally high rates. We show that endogenous fixed buffers have a surprisingly low Ca2+-binding ratio (∼15) and low affinity, whereas mobile buffers have high affinity. Experimentally constrained modeling revealed that the low endogenous buffering promotes fast clearance of Ca2+ from the active zone during repetitive firing. Measuring Ca2+ signals at different distances from active zones with ultra-high-resolution confirmed our model predictions. Our results lead to the concept that reduced Ca2+ buffering enables fast active zone Ca2+ signaling, suggesting that the strength of endogenous Ca2+ buffering limits the rate of synchronous synaptic transmission.
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Abstract
How vesicle calcium sensors interact with calcium channels at synapses affects neurotransmitter release dynamics. In this issue of Neuron, Nakamura et al. (2015) propose that synaptic vesicles are tightly coupled around the perimeter of a voltage-gated calcium channel cluster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa A Herman
- Neuroscience Research Center, NeuroCure Excellence Cluster, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Rosenmund
- Neuroscience Research Center, NeuroCure Excellence Cluster, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
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Keller D, Babai N, Kochubey O, Han Y, Markram H, Schürmann F, Schneggenburger R. An Exclusion Zone for Ca2+ Channels around Docked Vesicles Explains Release Control by Multiple Channels at a CNS Synapse. PLoS Comput Biol 2015; 11:e1004253. [PMID: 25951120 PMCID: PMC4423980 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1004253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2014] [Accepted: 03/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The spatial arrangement of Ca2+ channels and vesicles remains unknown for most CNS synapses, despite of the crucial importance of this geometrical parameter for the Ca2+ control of transmitter release. At a large model synapse, the calyx of Held, transmitter release is controlled by several Ca2+ channels in a "domain overlap" mode, at least in young animals. To study the geometrical constraints of Ca2+ channel placement in domain overlap control of release, we used stochastic MCell modelling, at active zones for which the position of docked vesicles was derived from electron microscopy (EM). We found that random placement of Ca2+ channels was unable to produce high slope values between release and presynaptic Ca2+ entry, a hallmark of domain overlap, and yielded excessively large release probabilities. The simple assumption that Ca2+ channels can be located anywhere at active zones, except below a critical distance of ~ 30 nm away from docked vesicles ("exclusion zone"), rescued high slope values and low release probabilities. Alternatively, high slope values can also be obtained by placing all Ca2+ channels into a single supercluster, which however results in significantly higher heterogeneity of release probabilities. We also show experimentally that high slope values, and the sensitivity to the slow Ca2+ chelator EGTA-AM, are maintained with developmental maturation of the calyx synapse. Taken together, domain overlap control of release represents a highly organized active zone architecture in which Ca2+ channels must obey a certain distance to docked vesicles. Furthermore, domain overlap can be employed by near-mature, fast-releasing synapses. Ca2+ channels provide the rise in intracellular Ca2+ concentration necessary to initiate the membrane fusion of transmitter—filled vesicles at synapses. Because Ca2+ diffuses away from Ca2+ channels, the distance between Ca2+ channels and vesicles on the range of tens of nanometers is a crucial determinant of the vesicle fusion probability. However, there is still little experimental evidence on how Ca2+ channels and vesicles co-localize in the nanospace of a single synapse. We show by computational modelling that the channels should be located at some distance to vesicles (~ 30 nm), to allow for release control by several channels, a release mechanism found at many synapses. In realistic synapses with a high density of docked vesicles, this translates into a likely localization of Ca2+ channels at membrane sites not occupied by docked vesicles. Thus, we present a computational model of how Ca2+ channels can be localized in an active zone with several docked vesicles, to enable control of release by several Ca2+ channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Keller
- Blue Brain Project, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Norbert Babai
- Laboratory of Synaptic Mechanisms, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Olexiy Kochubey
- Laboratory of Synaptic Mechanisms, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Yunyun Han
- Laboratory of Synaptic Mechanisms, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Henry Markram
- Blue Brain Project, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Felix Schürmann
- Blue Brain Project, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ralf Schneggenburger
- Laboratory of Synaptic Mechanisms, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
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