Skip to main content
NCBI home page
The Journal of Physiology logoLink to The Journal of Physiology
. 1973 Oct;234(2):353–371. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1973.sp010349

The effect of tetanic and post-tetanic potentiation on facilitation of transmitter release at the frog neuromuscular junction

K L Magleby
PMCID: PMC1350632  PMID: 4358352

Abstract

1. End-plate potentials (e.p.p.s) were recorded from frog neuromuscular junctions blocked with high Mg and/or low Ca.

2. Estimates of f(t), the facilitation contributed by each impulse, were obtained during and following repetitive stimulation from the incremental change in e.p.p. amplitudes following step changes in the stimulation rate during the conditioning and testing trains.

3. Estimates of f(t) increased during the conditioning stimulation and returned to control in the post-tetanic period. This increase in f(t) was proportional to the magnitude of tetanic or post-tetanic potentiation (PTP) present.

4. These results are described by: [Formula: see text] where h(t)/hc is the e.p.p. amplitude at time t expressed in terms of the control, P(t) is potentiation, F(t) is facilitation and 1 is the base level of transmitter release. Thus, potentiation has a multiplicative (gain) effect on facilitation and the base level of transmitter release.

5. PTP was present immediately following the conditioning train. However, if depression occurred during the conditioning train, PTP developed after a delay.

6. It is suggested that facilitation and potentiation represent increases in two independent factors which act jointly to increase the probability of transmitter release.

Full text

PDF
353

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Blioch Z. L., Glagoleva I. M., Liberman E. A., Nenashev V. A. A study of the mechanism of quantal transmitter release at a chemical synapse. J Physiol. 1968 Nov;199(1):11–35. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1968.sp008637. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Braun M., Schmidt R. F. Potential changes recorded from the frog motor nerve terminal during its activation. Pflugers Arch Gesamte Physiol Menschen Tiere. 1966;287(1):56–80. doi: 10.1007/BF00362454. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. DEL CASTILLO J., KATZ B. Quantal components of the end-plate potential. J Physiol. 1954 Jun 28;124(3):560–573. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1954.sp005129. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Elmqvist D., Quastel D. M. A quantitative study of end-plate potentials in isolated human muscle. J Physiol. 1965 Jun;178(3):505–529. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1965.sp007639. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Gage P. W., Hubbard J. I. An investigation of the post-tetanic potentiation of end-plate potentials at a mammalian neuromuscular junction. J Physiol. 1966 May;184(2):353–375. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1966.sp007919. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. HUBBARD J. I. REPETITIVE STIMULATION AT THE MAMMALIAN NEUROMUSCULAR JUNCTION, AND THE MOBILIZATION OF TRANSMITTER. J Physiol. 1963 Dec;169:641–662. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1963.sp007286. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Hubbard J. I., Jones S. F., Landau E. M. The effect of temperature change upon transmitter release, facilitation and post-tetanic potentiation. J Physiol. 1971 Aug;216(3):591–609. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1971.sp009542. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Katz B., Miledi R. The role of calcium in neuromuscular facilitation. J Physiol. 1968 Mar;195(2):481–492. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1968.sp008469. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Kita H., Van der Kloot W. The effects of changing the osmolarity of the Ringer on acetylcholine release at the frog neuromuscular junction. Life Sci I. 1971 Dec 15;10(24):1423–1432. doi: 10.1016/0024-3205(71)90272-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. LILEY A. W., NORTH K. A. An electrical investigation of effects of repetitive stimulation on mammalian neuromuscular junction. J Neurophysiol. 1953 Sep;16(5):509–527. doi: 10.1152/jn.1953.16.5.509. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. MARTIN A. R. A further study of the statistical composition on the end-plate potential. J Physiol. 1955 Oct 28;130(1):114–122. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1955.sp005397. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Maeno T. Analysis of mobilization and demobilization processes in neuromuscular transmission in the frog. J Neurophysiol. 1969 Sep;32(5):793–800. doi: 10.1152/jn.1969.32.5.793. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Maeno T., Edwards C. Neuromuscular facilitation with low-frequency stimulation and effects of some drugs. J Neurophysiol. 1969 Sep;32(5):785–792. doi: 10.1152/jn.1969.32.5.785. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Magleby K. L. The effect of repetitive stimulation on facilitation of transmitter release at the frog neuromuscular junction. J Physiol. 1973 Oct;234(2):327–352. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1973.sp010348. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Mallart A., Martin A. R. An analysis of facilitation of transmitter release at the neuromuscular junction of the frog. J Physiol. 1967 Dec;193(3):679–694. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1967.sp008388. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Mallart A., Martin A. R. The relation between quantum content and facilitation at the neuromuscular junction of the frog. J Physiol. 1968 Jun;196(3):593–604. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1968.sp008525. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Miledi R., Thies R. Tetanic and post-tetanic rise in frequency of miniature end-plate potentials in low-calcium solutions. J Physiol. 1971 Jan;212(1):245–257. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1971.sp009320. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Rahamimoff R. A dual effect of calcium ions on neuromuscular facilitation. J Physiol. 1968 Mar;195(2):471–480. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1968.sp008468. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Rosenthal J. Post-tetanic potentiation at the neuromuscular junction of the frog. J Physiol. 1969 Jul;203(1):121–133. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1969.sp008854. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. THIES R. E. NEUROMUSCULAR DEPRESSION AND THE APPARENT DEPLETION OF TRANSMITTER IN MAMMALIAN MUSCLE. J Neurophysiol. 1965 May;28:428–442. doi: 10.1152/jn.1965.28.3.427. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Weinreich D. Ionic mechanism of post-tetanic potentiation at the neuromuscular junction of the frog. J Physiol. 1971 Jan;212(2):431–446. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1971.sp009333. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Wernig A. Changes in statistical parameters during facilitation at the crayfish neuromuscular junction. J Physiol. 1972 Nov;226(3):751–759. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1972.sp010007. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Physiology are provided here courtesy of The Physiological Society

RESOURCES