Relationship between the nerve action potential and transmitter release from sympathetic postganglionic nerve terminals

At the skeletal neuromuscular junction, electrophysiological methods have provided much useful information about the mechanisms involved in the release of transmitter. At the autonomic neuroeffector junction it has not been possible to carry out similar studies. Here we report a method of extracellu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature (London) 1987-04, Vol.326 (6113), p.605-607
Main Authors: Brock, James A, Cunnane, Thomas C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
action potential
Action Potentials
Animals
autonomic nervous system
Biochemistry
Biological and medical sciences
Electric Stimulation
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Ganglia, Sympathetic - physiology
Guinea Pigs
In Vitro Techniques
Male
Nervous system
Neurotransmitter Agents - secretion
neurotransmitters
Peripheral nervous system. Autonomic nervous system. Neuromuscular transmission. Ganglionic transmission. Electric organ
vas deferens
Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
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Summary:At the skeletal neuromuscular junction, electrophysiological methods have provided much useful information about the mechanisms involved in the release of transmitter. At the autonomic neuroeffector junction it has not been possible to carry out similar studies. Here we report a method of extracellular recording which allows simultaneous measurement of both the nerve action potential and transmitter release from postganglionic sympathetic nerve terminals. We have confirmed that release is intermittent, but the importance of this new approach is that the relationship between the nerve terminal action potential and transmitter release can be studied unambiguously for the first time. Thus we are able to show unequivocally that intermittence is caused by a low probability of release in the invaded varicosity and not by failure of the action potential to invade the varicosity.
ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
DOI:10.1038/326605a0