Correlation Between Nerve Terminal Size and Transmitter Release at the Neuromuscular Junction of the Frog

Overview

Journal J Physiol

Specialty Physiology

Date 1971 Mar 1

PMID 4323933

Citations 106

Authors

M Kuno

S A TURKANIS

J N Weakly

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

1. End-plate potentials were recorded intracellularly at the frog neuromuscular junction bathed in a solution containing a low concentration of calcium and a high concentration of magnesium.2. The muscle was subsequently subjected to ;cholinesterase staining', and the area of the individual end-plates, studied with intracellular electrodes, was measured.3. A positive correlation was found between the end-plate area and the diameter of muscle fibres.4. The mean quantum content (m) showed a positive correlation with the size of end-plates.5. The frequency of spontaneous miniature end-plate potentials was positively correlated with m as well as with end-plate area.6. It is concluded that the amount of transmitter released following nerve stimulation is related to the size of nerve endings.

Citing Articles

Postsynaptic receptors regulate presynaptic transmitter stability through transsynaptic bridges.

Godavarthi S, Hiramoto M, Ignatyev Y, Levin J, Li H, Pratelli M Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024; 121(15):e2318041121.

PMID: 38568976 PMC: 11009644. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2318041121.

Neuromuscular junction pathology is correlated with differential motor unit vulnerability in spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy.

Molotsky E, Liu Y, Lieberman A, Merry D Acta Neuropathol Commun. 2022; 10(1):97.

PMID: 35791011 PMC: 9258097. DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01402-y.

Comparative anatomy of the mammalian neuromuscular junction.

Boehm I, Alhindi A, Leite A, Logie C, Gibbs A, Murray O J Anat. 2020; 237(5):827-836.

PMID: 32573802 PMC: 7542190. DOI: 10.1111/joa.13260.

Morphological variability is greater at developing than mature mouse neuromuscular junctions.

Mech A, Brown A, Schiavo G, Sleigh J J Anat. 2020; 237(4):603-617.

PMID: 32533580 PMC: 7495279. DOI: 10.1111/joa.13228.

MACF1 links Rapsyn to microtubule- and actin-binding proteins to maintain neuromuscular synapses.

Oury J, Liu Y, Topf A, Todorovic S, Hoedt E, Preethish-Kumar V J Cell Biol. 2019; 218(5):1686-1705.

PMID: 30842214 PMC: 6504910. DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201810023.

References

Takeuchi A, Takeuchi N . Further analysis of relationship between end-plate potential and end-plate current. J Neurophysiol. 1960; 23:397-402. DOI: 10.1152/jn.1960.23.4.397. View

Harris C . The morphology of the myoneural junction as influenced by neurotoxic drugs. Am J Pathol. 1954; 30(3):501-19. PMC: 1942521. View

Katz B, THESLEFF S . On the factors which determine the amplitude of the miniature end-plate potential. J Physiol. 1957; 137(2):267-78. PMC: 1362978. DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.1957.sp005811. View

HUTTER O, TRAUTWEIN W . Neuromuscular facilitation by stretch of motor nerve-endings. J Physiol. 1956; 133(3):610-25. PMC: 1359124. DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.1956.sp005613. View

FATT P, Katz B . Spontaneous subthreshold activity at motor nerve endings. J Physiol. 1952; 117(1):109-28. PMC: 1392564. View

Weakly J . Effect of barbiturates on 'quantal' synaptic transmission in spinal motoneurones. J Physiol. 1969; 204(1):63-77. PMC: 1351593. DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.1969.sp008898. View

ECCLES J . The mechanism of synaptic transmission. Ergeb Physiol. 1961; 51:299-430. View

COLE W . Structural variations of nerve endings in the striated muscles of the rat. J Comp Neurol. 1957; 108(3):445-63. DOI: 10.1002/cne.901080306. View

Iwasaki S . Mononeuronal double innervation of an amphibian striated muscle fibre. Jpn J Physiol. 1957; 7(4):267-75. DOI: 10.2170/jjphysiol.7.267. View

10.

Birks R, Huxley H, Katz B . The fine structure of the neuromuscular junction of the frog. J Physiol. 1960; 150:134-44. PMC: 1363152. DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.1960.sp006378. View

11.

HAGGAR R, Barr M . Quantitative data on the size of synaptic end-bulbs in the cat's spinal cord. J Comp Neurol. 1950; 93(1):17-35. DOI: 10.1002/cne.900930103. View

12.

Kuno M, Miyahara J . Non-linear summation of unit synaptic potentials in spinal motoneurones of the cat. J Physiol. 1969; 201(2):465-77. PMC: 1351620. DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.1969.sp008767. View

13.

LILEY A . The quantal components of the mammalian end-plate potential. J Physiol. 1956; 133(3):571-87. PMC: 1359121. DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.1956.sp005610. View

14.

SZENTAGOTHAI J, Albert A . The synaptology of Clarke's column. Acta Morphol Acad Sci Hung. 1955; 5(1-2):43-51. View

15.

Miledi R . Spontaneous synaptic potentials and quantal release of transmitter in the stellate ganglion of the squid. J Physiol. 1967; 192(2):379-406. PMC: 1365563. DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.1967.sp008306. View

16.

Martin A . A further study of the statistical composition on the end-plate potential. J Physiol. 1955; 130(1):114-22. PMC: 1363457. DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.1955.sp005397. View

17.

Dodge Jr F, Rahamimoff R . Co-operative action a calcium ions in transmitter release at the neuromuscular junction. J Physiol. 1967; 193(2):419-32. PMC: 1365607. DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.1967.sp008367. View

18.

Del Castillo J, Katz B . Quantal components of the end-plate potential. J Physiol. 1954; 124(3):560-73. PMC: 1366292. DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.1954.sp005129. View

19.

BOYD I, Martin A . The end-plate potential in mammalian muscle. J Physiol. 1956; 132(1):74-91. PMC: 1363540. DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.1956.sp005503. View

20.

COUTEAUX R . Morphological and cytochemical observations on the post-synaptic membrane at motor end-plates and ganglionic synapses. Exp Cell Res. 1958; 14(Suppl 5):294-322. View