Properties of fast endocytosis at hippocampal synapses

Ege T. Kavalali, Jürgen Klingauf, Richard W. Tsien

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

41 Scopus citations

Abstract

Regulation of synaptic transmission is a widespread means for dynamic alterations in nervous system function. In several cases, this regulation targets vesicular recycling in presynaptic terminals and may result in substantial changes in efficiency of synaptic transmission. Traditionally, experimental accessibility of the synaptic vesicle cycle in central neuronal synapses has been largely limited to the exocytotic side, which can be monitored with electrophysiological responses to neurotransmitter release. Recently, physiological measurements on the endocytotic portion of the cycle have been made possible by the introduction of styryl dyes such as FMI-43 as fluorescent markers for recycling synaptic vesicles. Here we demonstrate the existence of fast endocytosis in hippocampal nerve terminals and derive its kinetics from fluorescence measurements using dyes with varying rates of membrane departitioning. The rapid mode of vesicular retrieval was greatly speeded by exposure to staurosporine or elevated extracellular calcium. The effective time-constant for retrieval can be < 2 seconds under appropriate conditions. Thus, hippocampal synapses capitalize on efficient mechanisms for endocytosis and their vesicular retrieval is subject to modulatory control.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)337-346
Number of pages10
JournalPhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Volume354
Issue number1381
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 28 1999

Keywords

  • Endocytosis
  • FMI-43
  • Fluorescence imaging
  • Hippocampus
  • Synapse

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
  • General Agricultural and Biological Sciences

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