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. 1994 Sep;67(3):966–972. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(94)80562-4

Diffusion cannot govern the discharge of neurotransmitter in fast synapses.

R Khanin 1, H Parnas 1, L Segel 1
PMCID: PMC1225449  PMID: 7811953

Abstract

In the present work we show that diffusion cannot provide the observed fast discharge of neurotransmitter from a synaptic vesicle during neurotransmitter release, mainly because it is not sufficiently rapid nor is it sufficiently temperature-dependent. Modeling the discharge from the vesicle into the cleft as a continuous point source, we have determined that discharge should occur in 50-75 microseconds, to provide the observed high concentrations of transmitter at the critical zone.

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Selected References

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