Abstract
At a synapse, the transmitter is stored in synaptic vesicles and is released into the synaptic cleft almost instantaneously upon fusion of these vesicles with the presynaptic membrane. Subsequently, the transmitter diffuses to ligand-gated ion channels in the postsynaptic density, binds to them, and thereby causes channel activation. Unfortunately, we have estimates neither of the exact amount of transmitter in the synaptic vesicle nor of the concentration in the synaptic cleft reaching the postsynaptic receptors, and in some cases even the identity of the transmitter is unknown. These questions may be addressed by modeling of release and diffusion. Such a theoretical approach, however, is based on several assumptions, some of which lack experimental evidence.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Akaike, N., Inoue, M., and Krishtal, O. A., 1986, “Concentration-clamp” study of -y-aminobutyric-acidinduced chloride current kinetics in frog sensory neurones, J. Physiol. 379:171–185.
Brett, R. S., Dilger, J. P., Adams, P. R., and Lancaster, B., 1986, A method for the rapid exchange of solutions bathing excised membrane patches, Biophys. J. 50: 987–992.
Brown, K. T., and Flaming, D. G., 1986, Advanced Micropipette Techniques for Cell Physiology, John Wiley and Sons, New York.
Colquhoun, D., Jonas, P., and Sakmann, B., 1992, Action of brief pulses of glutamate on AMPA/kainite receptors in patches from different neurones of rat hippocampal slices, J. Physiol. 458: 261–287.
Dudel, J., Franke, C., and Hatt, H., 1990, Rapid activation, desensitization, and resensitization of synaptic channels of crayfish muscle after glutamate pulses, Biophys. J. 57: 533–545.
Fenwick, E. M., Marty, A., and Neher, E., 1982, A patch-clamp study of bovine chromaffin cells and of their sensitivity to acetylcholine, J. Physiol. 331: 577–597.
Franke, C., Hatt, H., and Dudel, J., 1987, Liquid filament switch for ultra-fast exchanges of solutions at excised patches of synaptic membrane of crayfish muscle, Neurosci. Lett. 77: 199–204.
Johnson, J. W., and Ascher, P., 1987, Glycine potentiates the NMDA response in cultured mouse brain neurons, Nature 325: 529–531.
Krishtal, O. A., and Pidoplichko, V. I., 1980, A receptor for protons in the nerve cell membrane, Neuroscience 5: 2325–2327.
Krishtal, O. A., Marchenko, S. M., and Pidoplichko, V. I., 1983, Receptor for ATP in the membrane of mammalian sensory neurones, Neurosci. Lett. 35: 41–45.
Maconochie, D. J., and Knight, D. E., 1989, A method for making solution changes in the sub-millisecond range at the tip of a patch pipette, Pflügers Arch. 414: 589–596.
Markwardt, E, and Isenberg, G., 1992, Gating of maxi K` channels studied by Ca’+ concentration jumps in excised inside-out multi-channel patches (myocytes from guinea pig urinary bladder), J. Gen. Physiol. 99: 841–862.
Spruston, N., Jonas, P., and Sakmann, B., 1995, Dendritic glutamate receptor channels in rat hippocampal CA3 and CA I pyramidal neurons, J. Physiol. (in press).
Trussell, L. O., and Fischbach, G. D., 1989, Glutamate receptor desensitization and its role in synaptic transmission, Neuron 3: 209–218.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1995 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Jonas, P. (1995). Fast Application of Agonists to Isolated Membrane Patches. In: Sakmann, B., Neher, E. (eds) Single-Channel Recording. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1229-9_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1229-9_10
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-1230-5
Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-1229-9
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive