Estimates of statistical release parameters from crayfish and frog neuromuscular junctions. 1975

A Wernig

1. Transmitter release at crayfish and frog neuromuscular junctions was studied by recording synaptic potentials with extracellular or intracellular glass micro-electrodes. 2. The binomial release parameters n and p were calculated using the experimental observations for the mean number of quanta (m) released in a series of trials, the variance (var) of the quantum content distribution and the number of transmission failures (n-o). 3. In one series of experiments on frog neuromuscular junction, action potentials were blocked by tetrodotoxin. Transmitter release was limited to a circumscribed part of the nerve terminal by focal stimulation with a glass micro-electrode. Values for m were between 0-6 and 5-7 and calculated values for n ranged from 3 to 23. p was between 0-05 and 0-48. In a second series of experiments on frog neuromuscular junction transmitter release was evoked by conventional stimulation of the nerve trunk in Mg-Ringer. m was mostly between 20 and 60 and in the same experiments n was calculated to be between 70 and 125. Values for p ranged from 0-25 to 0-48. 4. It can be concluded from the present results that transmitter release at frog neuromuscular junction is described by binomial statistics as is the case for neuromuscular junction of crayfish. 5. In comparing the values for n for the two series of experiments on frog neuromuscular junction it appears that n is dependent on the length of the activated synaptic contact. The numbers for n calculated from frog neuromuscular junction are of the same order of magnitude as the number of 'active zones' seen in the corresponding length of the synaptic nerve terminal.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009435 Synaptic Transmission The communication from a NEURON to a target (neuron, muscle, or secretory cell) across a SYNAPSE. In chemical synaptic transmission, the presynaptic neuron releases a NEUROTRANSMITTER that diffuses across the synaptic cleft and binds to specific synaptic receptors, activating them. The activated receptors modulate specific ion channels and/or second-messenger systems in the postsynaptic cell. In electrical synaptic transmission, electrical signals are communicated as an ionic current flow across ELECTRICAL SYNAPSES. Neural Transmission,Neurotransmission,Transmission, Neural,Transmission, Synaptic
D009469 Neuromuscular Junction The synapse between a neuron and a muscle. Myoneural Junction,Nerve-Muscle Preparation,Junction, Myoneural,Junction, Neuromuscular,Junctions, Myoneural,Junctions, Neuromuscular,Myoneural Junctions,Nerve Muscle Preparation,Nerve-Muscle Preparations,Neuromuscular Junctions,Preparation, Nerve-Muscle,Preparations, Nerve-Muscle
D003400 Astacoidea A superfamily of various freshwater CRUSTACEA, in the infraorder Astacidea, comprising the crayfish. Common genera include Astacus and Procambarus. Crayfish resemble lobsters, but are usually much smaller. Astacus,Crayfish,Procambarus,Astacoideas,Crayfishs
D004558 Electric Stimulation Use of electric potential or currents to elicit biological responses. Stimulation, Electric,Electrical Stimulation,Electric Stimulations,Electrical Stimulations,Stimulation, Electrical,Stimulations, Electric,Stimulations, Electrical
D004594 Electrophysiology The study of the generation and behavior of electrical charges in living organisms particularly the nervous system and the effects of electricity on living organisms.
D000200 Action Potentials Abrupt changes in the membrane potential that sweep along the CELL MEMBRANE of excitable cells in response to excitation stimuli. Spike Potentials,Nerve Impulses,Action Potential,Impulse, Nerve,Impulses, Nerve,Nerve Impulse,Potential, Action,Potential, Spike,Potentials, Action,Potentials, Spike,Spike Potential
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001001 Anura An order of the class Amphibia, which includes several families of frogs and toads. They are characterized by well developed hind limbs adapted for jumping, fused head and trunk and webbed toes. The term "toad" is ambiguous and is properly applied only to the family Bufonidae. Bombina,Frogs and Toads,Salientia,Toad, Fire-Bellied,Toads and Frogs,Anuras,Fire-Bellied Toad,Fire-Bellied Toads,Salientias,Toad, Fire Bellied,Toads, Fire-Bellied
D013223 Statistics as Topic Works about the science and art of collecting, summarizing, and analyzing data that are subject to random variation. Area Analysis,Estimation Technics,Estimation Techniques,Indirect Estimation Technics,Indirect Estimation Techniques,Multiple Classification Analysis,Service Statistics,Statistical Study,Statistics, Service,Tables and Charts as Topic,Analyses, Area,Analyses, Multiple Classification,Area Analyses,Classification Analyses, Multiple,Classification Analysis, Multiple,Estimation Technic, Indirect,Estimation Technics, Indirect,Estimation Technique,Estimation Technique, Indirect,Estimation Techniques, Indirect,Indirect Estimation Technic,Indirect Estimation Technique,Multiple Classification Analyses,Statistical Studies,Studies, Statistical,Study, Statistical,Technic, Indirect Estimation,Technics, Estimation,Technics, Indirect Estimation,Technique, Estimation,Technique, Indirect Estimation,Techniques, Estimation,Techniques, Indirect Estimation
D013569 Synapses Specialized junctions at which a neuron communicates with a target cell. At classical synapses, a neuron's presynaptic terminal releases a chemical transmitter stored in synaptic vesicles which diffuses across a narrow synaptic cleft and activates receptors on the postsynaptic membrane of the target cell. The target may be a dendrite, cell body, or axon of another neuron, or a specialized region of a muscle or secretory cell. Neurons may also communicate via direct electrical coupling with ELECTRICAL SYNAPSES. Several other non-synaptic chemical or electric signal transmitting processes occur via extracellular mediated interactions. Synapse

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