title: Central synapses release a resource-efficient amount of glutamate.
abstract: Why synapses release a certain amount of neurotransmitter is poorly understood. We combined patch-clamp electrophysiology with computer simulations to estimate how much glutamate is discharged at two distinct central synapses of the rat. We found that, regardless of some uncertainty over synaptic microenvironment, synapses generate the maximal current per released glutamate molecule while maximizing signal information content. Our result suggests that synapses operate on a principle of resource optimization.
authors.affiliation: UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Leonid P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Savtchenko
authors.forename: Sergiy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sylantyev
authors.forename: Dmitri A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Rusakov
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001703:Biophysics; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D019277:Entropy; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D019599:Mossy Fibers, Hippocampal / Q000502:physiology; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000378:metabolism; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004151:Dipeptides; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; C028929:gamma-glutamylglycine; D018698:Glutamic Acid