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.
Li
Ruxin
R
Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, National State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China.
Lei
Qi
Q
Song
Ge
G
He
Xiangping
X
Xie
Zuoping
Z
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