Transmitter Release During Synaptogenesis

在突触的发育过程中，神经细胞发出突起，即神经突，这些突起长出来与目标细胞接触。作为这种初始接触成熟为功能性突触过程的一部分，神经必须开始向目标细胞释放递质，此外，神经-目标接触必须稳定并继续释放递质。这项资助的实验将集中在突触发育的两个重要领域：确定在早期神经-靶标接触时启动递质释放的过程，以及有助于这种释放稳定性的机制。培养的非洲爪蟾（Xenopus laevis）蛙的神经和肌肉细胞将与膜片钳技术结合使用，以实现对测量的发射器释放的几何形状和分辨率的高水平控制。这些实验的主要目的是增进对发育突触中递质释放的启动和稳定的理解。

During development of the synapse, the nerve cells send out processes, the neurites, which grow out to contact the target cells. As part of the process of maturation of this initial contact into a functioning synapse, the nerve must start to release transmitter onto the target cell, and in addition, the nerve-target contact must be stable and continue to release transmitter. The experiments of this grant will focus on these two important areas of synaptic development: Identifying the process(es) which initiate the start of transmitter release at early nerve-target contacts and the mechanisms that contribute to the stability of this release. Cultured nerve and muscle cells of the frog Xenopus laevis will be used in combination with the patch clamp technique in order to achieve a high level of control over the geometry and resolution of the measured transmitter release. The major goal of these experiments is to enhance the understanding of the initiation and stabilization of transmitter release at developing synapses.