Presynaptic Ion Currents
Presynaptic Ion Currents - Related Videos
11:02
Presynaptically Silent Synapses Studied with Light Microscopy
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Cited by 14 •
2010
Glutamatergic synapses can switch from an active mode to a silent mode. We demonstrate that presynaptic activity status in dissociated culture of rodent neurons is visualized using a fixable form of the FM1-43 dye to visualize active synapses and immunostaining with vGluT-1 antibody to visualize all glutamate synapses.
09:48
Measuring Spinal Presynaptic Inhibition in Mice By Dorsal Root Potential Recording In Vivo
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Cited by 5 •
2014
GABAergic presynaptic inhibition is a powerful inhibitory mechanism in the spinal cord important for motor and sensory signal integration in spinal cord networks. Underlying primary afferent depolarization can be measured by recording of dorsal root potentials (DRP). Here we demonstrate a method of in vivo recording of DRP in mice.
09:30
Focused Ion Beams
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2023
Source: Sina Shahbazmohamadi and Peiman Shahbeigi-Roodposhti-Roodposhti, School of Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT As electron microscopes become more complex and widely used in research labs, it becomes more of a necessity to introduce their capabilities. Focused ion beam (FIB) is an instrument that can be employed in order to fabricate, trim, analyze and characterize materials on mico- and nano-scales in a wide variety of fields from nano-electronics to medicine. FIB...
08:38
Vibrodissociation of Neurons from Rodent Brain Slices to Study Synaptic Transmission and Image Presynaptic Terminals
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Cited by 17 •
2011
This report demonstrates a technique for mechanical isolation of individual viable neurons retaining attached presynaptic boutons. Vibrodissociated neurons have the advantages of rapid production, excellent pharmacological control and improved space-clamp without influence from neighboring cells. This method can be used for imaging of synaptic elements and patch-clamp recording.
08:49
Presynaptic Dopamine Dynamics in Striatal Brain Slices with Fast-scan Cyclic Voltammetry
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Cited by 18 •
2012
Using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry to measure electrically evoked presynaptic dopamine dynamics in striatal brain slices.
FAQs
Calcium influx links electrical excitation to vesicle fusion because depolarization opens voltage-gated calcium channels at the axon terminal. Calcium then moves inward along its electrochemical gradient, and this local rise in calcium triggers synaptic-vesicle fusion. Measuring this relationship helps investigators explain why changes in calcium entry can alter neurotransmitter release and synaptic signaling.
Sodium and potassium currents mainly shape the terminal’s electrical state rather than serving the direct fusion-triggering role assigned to calcium influx. Their movement influences how strongly and how long the presynaptic membrane is depolarized, thereby affecting terminal excitability and timing. This distinction helps separate action-potential shaping from the calcium-dependent release step.
Patch-clamp and voltage-clamp electrophysiology can record presynaptic current behavior under controlled electrical conditions. These measurements allow investigators to characterize ion-channel function at the terminal and relate current properties to release probability. The same approach also supports analysis of short-term synaptic plasticity, in which recent activity changes the strength or timing of synaptic signaling.
A typical study examines how terminal depolarization changes presynaptic currents, then evaluates calcium entry and its association with synaptic-vesicle fusion. Researchers use patch-clamp or voltage-clamp recordings to characterize channel behavior and interpret the measurements in relation to release probability and short-term synaptic plasticity. This workflow links membrane events with functional synaptic output.
Direct current measurements are useful when the goal is to identify how ion-channel function contributes to neuronal communication, rather than describing release alone. They can connect terminal excitability, calcium entry, release probability, and short-term plasticity. Consequently, this approach helps investigators determine how presynaptic electrical mechanisms shape changes in synaptic signaling.
These measurements connect ion-channel function at the presynaptic terminal with communication between neurons. The resulting information can clarify how circuits regulate signaling, how release changes during short-term synaptic plasticity, and how neurological disorders or drugs that alter synaptic transmission may affect presynaptic mechanisms. Current analysis therefore provides mechanistic context for circuit and drug-related research.