Ecto-ATPase activity in cerebellum: implication to the function of synaptic transmission.
The involvement of ATP in synaptic transmission was examined in synapses on granule cells of the rat cerebellum using ecto-ATPase activity. Reaction product was found in a majority but not all synapses between axodendritic, axoaxonic, and dendrodendritic appositions of granule cells and was associated with extracellular surface of both pre- and postsynaptic membranes. Specificity of the detection was justified by using diethyl pyrocarbonate, specific inhibitor of ecto-ATPase activity. These observations provide direct morphological evidence in support of the view that ATP participates in synaptic transmission and indicate functional heterogeneity of synapses in cerebellum.
Zinchuk
V S
VS
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Kochi Medical School, Japan. zinchuk@kochi-ms.ac.jp
Okada
T
T
Kobayashi
T
T
Seguchi
H
H
D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009474:Neurons / Q000201:enzymology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D013569:Synapses / Q000201:enzymology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*