AUTHOR=Kawaguchi Shin-ya 

TITLE=Dynamic Factors for Transmitter Release at Small Presynaptic Boutons Revealed by Direct Patch-Clamp Recordings

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fncel.2019.00269

DOI=10.3389/fncel.2019.00269

ISSN=1662-5102

ABSTRACT=<p>Small size of an axon and presynaptic structures have hindered direct functional analysis of axonal signaling and transmitter release at presynaptic boutons in the central nervous system. However, recent technical advances in subcellular patch-clamp recordings and in fluorescent imagings are shedding light on the dynamic nature of axonal and presynaptic mechanisms. Here I summarize the functional design of an axon and presynaptic boutons, such as diversity and activity-dependent changes of action potential (AP) waveforms, Ca<sup>2+</sup> influx, and kinetics of transmitter release, revealed by the technical <italic>tour de force</italic> of direct patch-clamp recordings and the leading-edge fluorescent imagings. I highlight the critical factors for dynamic modulation of transmitter release and presynaptic short-term plasticity.</p>