Figure 1.

(a) Schematic diagram indicating four essential components of the docking and fusion particle, also called the SNARE complex. Complementarity between the v- and t-SNAREs directs vesicle docking, and the SNAREs act as a receptor for the SNAP–NSF fusion protein complex. (b) The original v-SNARE, synaptobrevin/VAMP and t-SNAREs, SNAP-25, and syntaxin are shown. (c) Synaptotagmin is the new v-SNARE at the synaptic terminal. N-type Ca²⁺ channel, which mediates synchronous fusion of docked synaptic vesicle, associates with syntaxin.