Biomaterial Database

Presynaptic long-term facilitation at the crayfish neuromuscular junction: voltage-dependent and ion-dependent phases. 1988

J M Wojtowicz, and H L Atwood

Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Long-term facilitation (LTF) of synaptic transmission was investigated in the crayfish opener muscle to determine the factors necessary for its induction and expression. LTF was induced without action potentials by intracellular depolarization of presynaptic nerve terminals. Following induction, the synaptic transmission was enhanced by about 80% for a period of several hours. Intracellular recordings from pre- and postsynaptic cells, combined with ionic and pharmacological tests, permitted dissection of LTF into 2 phases: an initial tetanic phase that depended on the presence of both sodium and calcium ions and a subsequent long-lasting phase. This latter long-lasting enhancement of synaptic transmission was induced by repeated depolarizations of synaptic terminals but did not depend on the influx of sodium or calcium ions or on intracellular release of calcium ions. Both tetanic and long-lasting phases of LTF are attributable to activity of a single neuron, i.e., they are homosynaptic phenomena. Furthermore, LTF is associated with an increase of quantal release, whereas the size of quanta remains unchanged. During the long-lasting phase of LTF, the nerve terminal releases more transmitter for a given depolarization than before induction of LTF. Thus, the locus of LTF is presynaptic. Our findings suggest the presence of a voltage-dependent mechanism in the presynaptic membrane different from voltage-gating of Na or Ca channels. Such a mechanism may be important in the establishment of long-lasting synaptic changes at the crayfish neuromuscular junction and perhaps in other neural systems.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007477	Ions	An atom or group of atoms that have a positive or negative electric charge due to a gain (negative charge) or loss (positive charge) of one or more electrons. Atoms with a positive charge are known as CATIONS; those with a negative charge are ANIONS.
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
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
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
D013997	Time Factors	Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations.	Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor
D018377	Neurotransmitter Agents	Substances used for their pharmacological actions on any aspect of neurotransmitter systems. Neurotransmitter agents include agonists, antagonists, degradation inhibitors, uptake inhibitors, depleters, precursors, and modulators of receptor function.	Nerve Transmitter Substance,Neurohormone,Neurohumor,Neurotransmitter Agent,Nerve Transmitter Substances,Neurohormones,Neurohumors,Neuromodulator,Neuromodulators,Neuroregulator,Neuroregulators,Neurotransmitter,Neurotransmitters,Substances, Nerve Transmitter,Transmitter Substances, Nerve,Substance, Nerve Transmitter,Transmitter Substance, Nerve