QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

HOME  |   SEARCH  |   ARCHIVE  |   SUBSCRIBE  |   CONTACT  |   HELP

The Journal of Neuroscience, October 11, 2006, 26(41):10599-10613; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1913-06.2006

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Supplemental data Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in J. Neurosci. Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (7) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Dudanova, I. Articles by Missler, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Dudanova, I. Articles by Missler, M.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Cellular/Molecular
Important Contribution of -Neurexins to Ca²⁺-Triggered Exocytosis of Secretory Granules

Irina Dudanova,^1 * Simon Sedej,^2 * Mohiuddin Ahmad,^1 * Henriette Masius,¹ Vardanush Sargsyan,¹ Weiqi Zhang,¹ Dietmar Riedel,³ Frank Angenstein,⁴ Detlev Schild,^1,5 Marjan Rupnik,² and Markus Missler^1,6

¹Center for Physiology and Pathophysiology, Georg-August University, Göttingen D-37073, Germany, ²European Neuroscience Institute Göttingen, Göttingen D-37073, Germany, ³Department of Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen D-37077, Germany, ⁴Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg D-39118, Germany, ⁵German Research Foundation-Research Center of Molecular Physiology of Brain, Göttingen D-37073, Germany, and ⁶Institute of Anatomy, Westfälische Wilhelms-University, Münster D-48149, Germany

Correspondence should be addressed to Dr. Markus Missler, Institute of Anatomy, Department of Anatomy and Molecular Neuroscience, Westfälische Wilhelms-University, Vesaliusweg 2-4, Münster D-48149, Germany. Email: mmissle1{at}gwdg.de

-Neurexins constitute a family of neuronal cell surface molecules that are essential for efficient neurotransmission, because mice lacking two or all three -neurexin genes show a severe reduction of synaptic release. Although analyses of -neurexin knock-outs and transgenic rescue animals suggested an involvement of voltage-dependent Ca²⁺channels, it remained unclear whether -neurexins have a general role in Ca²⁺-dependent exocytosis and how they may affect Ca²⁺ channels. Here we show by membrane capacitance measurements from melanotrophs in acute pituitary gland slices that release from endocrine cells is diminished by >50% in adult -neurexin double knock-out and newborn triple knock-out mice. There is a reduction of the cell volume in mutant melanotrophs; however, no ultrastructural changes in size or intracellular distribution of the secretory granules were observed. Recordings of Ca²⁺ currents from melanotrophs, transfected human embryonic kidney cells, and brainstem neurons reveal that -neurexins do not affect the activation or inactivation properties of Ca²⁺ channels directly but may be responsible for coupling them to release-ready vesicles and metabotropic receptors. Our data support a general and essential role for -neurexins in Ca²⁺-triggered exocytosis that is similarly important for secretion from neurons and endocrine cells.

Key words: neuroendocrine cells; exocytosis; neurohormones; pituitary gland; melanotrophs; cell adhesion molecules; Ca²⁺ channels

---

Received May 4, 2006; revised Sept. 1, 2006; accepted Sept. 5, 2006.

Correspondence should be addressed to Dr. Markus Missler, Institute of Anatomy, Department of Anatomy and Molecular Neuroscience, Westfälische Wilhelms-University, Vesaliusweg 2-4, Münster D-48149, Germany. Email: mmissle1{at}gwdg.de

Related articles in J. Neurosci.:

This Week in The Journal

J. Neurosci. 2006 26: i. [Full Text]  

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. Fairless, H. Masius, A. Rohlmann, K. Heupel, M. Ahmad, C. Reissner, T. Dresbach, and M. Missler Polarized Targeting of Neurexins to Synapses Is Regulated by their C-Terminal Sequences J. Neurosci., November 26, 2008; 28(48): 12969 - 12981. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F R Zahir, A Baross, A D Delaney, P Eydoux, N D Fernandes, T Pugh, M A Marra, and J M Friedman A patient with vertebral, cognitive and behavioural abnormalities and a de novo deletion of NRXN1{alpha} J. Med. Genet., April 1, 2008; 45(4): 239 - 243. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Kang, X. Zhang, F. Dobie, H. Wu, and A. M. Craig Induction of GABAergic Postsynaptic Differentiation by {alpha}-Neurexins J. Biol. Chem., January 25, 2008; 283(4): 2323 - 2334. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help