title: Target cell-specific modulation of transmitter release at terminals from a single axon.
abstract: In the hippocampus, a CA3 pyramidal cell forms excitatory synapses with thousands of other pyramidal cells and inhibitory interneurons. By using sequential paired recordings from three connected cells, we show that the presynaptic properties of CA3 pyramidal cell terminals, belonging to the same axon, differ according to the type of target cell. Activation of presynaptic group III metabotropic glutamate receptors decreases transmitter release only at terminals contacting CA1 interneurons but not CA1 pyramidal cells. Furthermore, terminals contacting distinct target cells show different frequency facilitation. On the basis of these results, we conclude that the pharmacological and physiological properties of presynaptic terminals are determined, at least in part, by the target cells.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physiologie, Ecole Supérieure de Physique et Chimie Industrielles, F-75231 Paris, France. massimo@atlas.bio.espci.fr
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scanziani
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Gähwiler
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Charpak
mesh_terms: D000613:Aminobutyrates / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology; D004594:Electrophysiology; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007395:Interneurons / Q000502:physiology; D009411:Nerve Endings / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000613:Aminobutyrates; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate; C012729:2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid