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. 1985 Jan;82(2):622–625. doi: 10.1073/pnas.82.2.622

Transmission at voltage-clamped giant synapse of the squid: evidence for cooperativity of presynaptic calcium action.

S J Smith, G J Augustine, M P Charlton
PMCID: PMC397093  PMID: 2982166

Abstract

Synaptic transmission was studied at the squid giant synapse with voltage clamp control of both presynaptic and postsynaptic cells. Because presynaptic voltage gradients can complicate interpretation of electrophysiological data obtained from this preparation, we used local Ca application to restrict Ca influx and transmitter release to a short and relatively isopotential portion of the elongated presynaptic terminal. Under these conditions, we found that postsynaptic current varies approximately as the third power of presynaptic Ca current. This finding is consistent with the hypothesis that several Ca ions cooperate in triggering secretion of a single transmitter quantum.

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Selected References

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

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