title: Presynaptic calcium and control of vesicle fusion.
abstract: Vesicle fusion and transmitter release at synapses is driven by a highly localized Ca2+ signal that rapidly builds up around open Ca2+-channels at and near presynaptic active zones. It has been difficult to estimate the amplitude and the kinetics of this 'microdomain' signal by direct Ca2+-imaging approaches. Recently, Ca2+ uncaging at large CNS synapses, among them the calyx of Held, has shown that the intrinsic cooperativity of Ca2+ in inducing vesicle fusion is high, with 4-5 Ca2+ ions needed to trigger vesicle fusion. Given the Ca2+-sensitivity of vesicle fusion as determined by Ca2+-uncaging, it was found that a surprisingly small (10-25 microM) and brief (<1 ms) local Ca2+ signal is sufficient to achieve the amount, and the kinetics of the physiological transmitter release. The high cooperativity of Ca2+ in inducing vesicle fusion and the non-saturation of the Ca2+-sensor for vesicle fusion renders small changes of the local Ca2+-signal highly effective in changing the release probability; an insight that is important for our understanding of short-term modulation of synaptic strength.
authors.affiliation: AG Synaptische Dynamik & Modulation and Abt. Membranbiophysik, Max-Planck-Institut für biophysikalische Chemie, Am Fassberg 11, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany. rschneg@gwdg.de
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schneggenburger
authors.forename: Erwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Neher
mesh_terms: D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism; D008959:Models, Neurological; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000378:metabolism*; D013572:Synaptic Vesicles / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D002118:Calcium