Homeostatic control of presynaptic neurotransmitter release.
It is well established that the active properties of nerve and muscle cells are stabilized by homeostatic signaling systems. In organisms ranging from Drosophila to humans, neurons restore baseline function in the continued presence of destabilizing perturbations by rebalancing ion channel expression, modifying neurotransmitter receptor surface expression and trafficking, and modulating neurotransmitter release. This review focuses on the homeostatic modulation of presynaptic neurotransmitter release, termed presynaptic homeostasis. First, we highlight criteria that can be used to define a process as being under homeostatic control. Next, we review the remarkable conservation of presynaptic homeostasis at the Drosophila, mouse, and human neuromuscular junctions and emerging parallels at synaptic connections in the mammalian central nervous system. We then highlight recent progress identifying cellular and molecular mechanisms. We conclude by reviewing emerging parallels between the mechanisms of homeostatic signaling and genetic links to neurological disease.
Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158; email: graeme.davis@ucsf.edu.
Graeme W
GW
Davis
Martin
M
Müller
D000818:Animals; D004330:Drosophila; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D023421:Models, Animal; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000502:physiology; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents
autism; epilepsy; homeostatic plasticity; myasthenia gravis; neuromuscular junction; synapse