Calcium near the release site is essential for basal ACh release in Xenopus.
Extracellular calcium is essential for neurotransmitter release, but the detailed mechanism by which Ca2+ regulates basal synaptic release has not yet been fully explored. In this study, calcium imaging and the whole-cell patch-clamp technique were used to investigate the role of Ca2+ in basal acetylcholine (ACh) release in the Xenopus neuromuscular junction and in isolated myocytes exogenously loaded with ACh. Carried out in normal and Ca2+-free extracellular solution, the results indicate that Ca2+ near the release site is essential for basal neurotransmitter release.
Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, National State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China.
Ruxin
R
Li
Qi
Q
Lei
Ge
G
Song
Xiangping
X
He
Zuoping
Z
Xie
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002469:Cell Separation; D004533:Egtazic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D032342:Muscle Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D012433:Ryanodine / Q000494:pharmacology; D012996:Solutions; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014981:Xenopus / Q000378:metabolism*
D012996:Solutions; C070379:1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid acetoxymethyl ester; D012433:Ryanodine; D004533:Egtazic Acid; D000109:Acetylcholine; D002118:Calcium