Involvement of pre- and postsynaptic mechanisms in posttetanic potentiation at Aplysia synapses

Science. 1997 Feb 14;275(5302):969-73. doi: 10.1126/science.275.5302.969.

Abstract

Posttetanic potentiation (PTP) is a common form of short-term synaptic plasticity that is generally thought to be entirely presynaptic. Consistent with that idea, PTP of evoked excitatory postsynaptic potentials at Aplysia sensory-motor neuron synapses in cell culture was reduced by presynaptic injection of a slow calcium chelator and was accompanied by an increase in the frequency but not the amplitude of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic potentials. However, PTP was also reduced by postsynaptic injection of a rapid calcium chelator or postsynaptic hyperpolarization. Thus, PTP at these synapses is likely to involve a postsynaptic induction mechanism in addition to the known presynaptic mechanisms.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • 1-Octanol
  • Action Potentials
  • Animals
  • Aplysia
  • Calcium / physiology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Chelating Agents / pharmacology
  • Egtazic Acid / analogs & derivatives
  • Egtazic Acid / pharmacology
  • Long-Term Potentiation
  • Motor Neurons / physiology*
  • Neuronal Plasticity*
  • Neurons, Afferent / physiology*
  • Octanols / pharmacology
  • Serotonin / pharmacology
  • Synapses / physiology*
  • Synaptic Transmission*

Substances

  • Chelating Agents
  • Octanols
  • Serotonin
  • Egtazic Acid
  • 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid
  • 1-Octanol
  • Calcium