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The Journal of Neuroscience, August 17, 2005, 25(33):7660-7668; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1572-05.2005

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Cellular/Molecular
Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels Facilitate Transmitter Release in Salamander Rod Synapse

Jian Wei Xu and Malcolm M. Slaughter

Department of Physiology and Biophysics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14214

Large-conductance calcium-activated potassium (BK) channels are colocalized with calcium channels at sites of exocytosis at the presynaptic terminals throughout the nervous system. It is expected that their activation would provide negative feedback to transmitter release, but the opposite is sometimes observed. Attempts to resolve this apparent paradox based on alterations in action potential waveform have been ambiguous. In an alternative approach, we investigated the influence of this channel on neurotransmitter release in a nonspiking neuron, the salamander rod photoreceptors. Surprisingly, the BK channel facilitates calcium-mediated transmitter release from rods. The two presynaptic channels form a positive coupled loop. Calcium influx activates the BK channel current, leading to potassium efflux that increases the calcium current. The normal physiological voltage range of the rod is well matched to the dynamics of this positive loop. When the rod is further depolarized, then the hyperpolarizing BK channel current exceeds its facilitatory effect, causing truncation of transmitter release. Thus, the calcium channel-BK channel linkage performs two functions at the synapse: nonlinear potentiator and safety brake.

Key words: facilitation; retina; ion channel; synaptic transmission; calcium channel; BK; positive coupling; salamander; ribbon synapse

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Received May 14, 2004; revised July 11, 2005; accepted July 12, 2005.

This article has been cited by other articles:

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