Silent synapses sit and wait for a better day.
Synaptic activity is thought to be critical for synaptic stabilization. In this issue of Neuron, Krishnaswamy and Cooper show that nicotinic synapses on autonomic neurons remain intact without synaptic activity. Postsynaptic responses are required, however, for presynaptic terminals to acquire the high-affinity choline transporter necessary for high-frequency transmission.
Berg
Darwin K
DK
Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0357, USA. dberg@ucsd.edu
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D005725:Ganglia, Autonomic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017783:Superior Cervical Ganglion / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*
D000109:Acetylcholine; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; C065637:choline transporter