 |
Previous Article | Next Article 
The Journal of Neuroscience, January 1, 1999, 19(1):119-132
Synaptic Vesicle Populations in Saccular Hair Cells Reconstructed
by Electron Tomography
David
Lenzi1,
Jonathan
W.
Runyeon1,
John
Crum2,
Mark H.
Ellisman2, and
William M.
Roberts1
1 Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon,
Eugene, Oregon 97403-1254, and 2 National Center for
Microscopy and Imaging Research and Department of Neurosciences,
University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0608
We used electron tomography to map the three-dimensional
architecture of the ribbon-class afferent synapses in frog saccular hair cells. The synaptic body (SB) at each synapse was nearly spherical
(468 ± 65 nm diameter; mean ± SD) and was covered by a
monolayer of synaptic vesicles (34.3 nm diameter; 8.8% coefficient of
variation), many of them tethered to it by ~20-nm-long filaments, at
an average density of 55% of close-packed (376 ± 133 vesicles per SB). These vesicles could support ~900 msec of exocytosis at the
reported maximal rate, which the cells can sustain for at least 2 sec,
suggesting that replenishment of vesicles on the SB is not rate
limiting. Consistent with this interpretation, prolonged
K+ depolarization did not deplete vesicles on the
SB. The monolayer of SB-associated vesicles remained after cell lysis
in the presence of 4 mM Ca2+, indicating
that the association is tight and Ca2+-resistant.
The space between the SB and the plasma membrane contained numerous
vesicles, many of which (~32 per synapse) were in contact with the
plasma membrane. This number of docked vesicles could support maximal
exocytosis for at most ~70 msec. Additional docked vesicles were seen
within a few hundred nanometers of the synapse and occasionally at
greater distances. The presence of omega profiles on the plasma
membrane around active zones, in the same locations as coated pits and
coated vesicles labeled with an extracellular marker, suggests that
local membrane recycling may contribute to the three- to 14-fold
greater abundance of vesicles in the cytoplasm (not associated with the
SB) near synapses than in nonsynaptic regions.
Key words:
active zone; docked vesicles; endocytosis; exocytosis; hair cell; microperoxidase; Rana pipiens; ribbon synapse; sacculus; synaptic body; synaptic vesicle; tomography; vesicle
concentration
Copyright © 1999 Society for Neuroscience 0270-6474/99/191119-14$05.00/0
This article has been cited by other articles:

|
 |

|
 |
 
P. Fuchs
Why Do Hair Cells Have Ribbons? Focus on "Synaptic Ribbon Enables Temporal Precision of Hair Cell Afferent Synapse by Increasing the Number of Readily Releasable Vesicles: A Modeling Study"
J Neurophysiol,
October 1, 2008;
100(4):
1695 - 1696.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
S. L. Johnson, A. Forge, M. Knipper, S. Munkner, and W. Marcotti
Tonotopic Variation in the Calcium Dependence of Neurotransmitter Release and Vesicle Pool Replenishment at Mammalian Auditory Ribbon Synapses
J. Neurosci.,
July 23, 2008;
28(30):
7670 - 7678.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
G. A. Zampighi, N. Fain, L. M. Zampighi, F. Cantele, S. Lanzavecchia, and E. M. Wright
Conical Electron Tomography of a Chemical Synapse: Polyhedral Cages Dock Vesicles to the Active Zone
J. Neurosci.,
April 16, 2008;
28(16):
4151 - 4160.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
N. Obholzer, S. Wolfson, J. G. Trapani, W. Mo, A. Nechiporuk, E. Busch-Nentwich, C. Seiler, S. Sidi, C. Sollner, R. N. Duncan, et al.
Vesicular Glutamate Transporter 3 Is Required for Synaptic Transmission in Zebrafish Hair Cells
J. Neurosci.,
February 27, 2008;
28(9):
2110 - 2118.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. Beurg, S. Safieddine, I. Roux, Y. Bouleau, C. Petit, and D. Dulon
Calcium- and Otoferlin-Dependent Exocytosis by Immature Outer Hair Cells
J. Neurosci.,
February 20, 2008;
28(8):
1798 - 1803.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. Neef, D. Khimich, P. Pirih, D. Riedel, F. Wolf, and T. Moser
Probing the Mechanism of Exocytosis at the Hair Cell Ribbon Synapse
J. Neurosci.,
November 21, 2007;
27(47):
12933 - 12944.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
S. L. Johnson, J. P. Adelman, and W. Marcotti
Genetic deletion of SK2 channels in mouse inner hair cells prevents the developmental linearization in the Ca2+ dependence of exocytosis
J. Physiol.,
September 1, 2007;
583(2):
631 - 646.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
L. Siksou, P. Rostaing, J.-P. Lechaire, T. Boudier, T. Ohtsuka, A. Fejtova, H.-T. Kao, P. Greengard, E. D. Gundelfinger, A. Triller, et al.
Three-Dimensional Architecture of Presynaptic Terminal Cytomatrix
J. Neurosci.,
June 27, 2007;
27(26):
6868 - 6877.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
F. Mammano, M. Bortolozzi, S. Ortolano, and F. Anselmi
Ca2+ Signaling in the Inner Ear
Physiology,
April 1, 2007;
22(2):
131 - 144.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
W. Marcotti, A. Erven, S. L. Johnson, K. P. Steel, and C. J. Kros
Tmc1 is necessary for normal functional maturation and survival of inner and outer hair cells in the mouse cochlea
J. Physiol.,
August 1, 2006;
574(3):
677 - 698.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
E. C. Keen and A. J. Hudspeth
Transfer characteristics of the hair cell's afferent synapse
PNAS,
April 4, 2006;
103(14):
5537 - 5542.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. A. Rutherford and W. M. Roberts
Frequency selectivity of synaptic exocytosis in frog saccular hair cells
PNAS,
February 21, 2006;
103(8):
2898 - 2903.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
J. M. Christie and C. E. Jahr
Multivesicular Release at Schaffer Collateral-CA1 Hippocampal Synapses
J. Neurosci.,
January 4, 2006;
26(1):
210 - 216.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
J. S. Coggan, T. M. Bartol, E. Esquenazi, J. R. Stiles, S. Lamont, M. E. Martone, D. K. Berg, M. H. Ellisman, and T. J. Sejnowski
Evidence for Ectopic Neurotransmission at a Neuronal Synapse
Science,
July 15, 2005;
309(5733):
446 - 451.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
P. A. Fuchs
Time and intensity coding at the hair cell's ribbon synapse
J. Physiol.,
July 1, 2005;
566(1):
7 - 12.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
S. L Johnson, W. Marcotti, and C. J Kros
Increase in efficiency and reduction in Ca2+ dependence of exocytosis during development of mouse inner hair cells
J. Physiol.,
February 15, 2005;
563(1):
177 - 191.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
B. W Edmonds, F. D Gregory, and F. E Schweizer
Evidence that fast exocytosis can be predominantly mediated by vesicles not docked at active zones in frog saccular hair cells
J. Physiol.,
October 15, 2004;
560(2):
439 - 450.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
R. G. Zhai and H. J. Bellen
The Architecture of the Active Zone in the Presynaptic Nerve Terminal
Physiology,
October 1, 2004;
19(5):
262 - 270.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. D. Eisen, M. Spassova, and T. D. Parsons
Large Releasable Pool of Synaptic Vesicles in Chick Cochlear Hair Cells
J Neurophysiol,
June 1, 2004;
91(6):
2422 - 2428.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. Brandt, J. Striessnig, and T. Moser
CaV1.3 Channels Are Essential for Development and Presynaptic Activity of Cochlear Inner Hair Cells
J. Neurosci.,
November 26, 2003;
23(34):
10832 - 10840.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
H. Bao, W. H. Wong, J. M. Goldberg, and R. A. Eatock
Voltage-Gated Calcium Channel Currents in Type I and Type II Hair Cells Isolated From the Rat Crista
J Neurophysiol,
July 1, 2003;
90(1):
155 - 164.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. Kreft, D. Krizaj, S. Grilc, and R. Zorec
Properties of Exocytotic Response in Vertebrate Photoreceptors
J Neurophysiol,
July 1, 2003;
90(1):
218 - 225.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
C. Paillart, J. Li, G. Matthews, and P. Sterling
Endocytosis and Vesicle Recycling at a Ribbon Synapse
J. Neurosci.,
May 15, 2003;
23(10):
4092 - 4099.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
D. Zenisek, V. Davila, L. Wan, and W. Almers
Imaging Calcium Entry Sites and Ribbon Structures in Two Presynaptic Cells
J. Neurosci.,
April 1, 2003;
23(7):
2538 - 2548.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. Llobet, A. Cooke, and L. Lagnado
Exocytosis at the Ribbon Synapse of Retinal Bipolar Cells Studied in Patches of Presynaptic Membrane
J. Neurosci.,
April 1, 2003;
23(7):
2706 - 2714.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
R. Heidelberger, P. Sterling, and G. Matthews
Roles of ATP in Depletion and Replenishment of the Releasable Pool of Synaptic Vesicles
J Neurophysiol,
July 1, 2002;
88(1):
98 - 106.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
C. B. Griesinger, C. D. Richards, and J. F. Ashmore
FM1-43 Reveals Membrane Recycling in Adult Inner Hair Cells of the Mammalian Cochlea
J. Neurosci.,
May 15, 2002;
22(10):
3939 - 3952.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
F. Capani, T. J. Deerinck, M. H. Ellisman, E. Bushong, M. Bobik, and M. E. Martone
Phalloidin-Eosin Followed by Photo-oxidation: A Novel Method for Localizing F-Actin at the Light and Electron Microscopic Levels
J. Histochem. Cytochem.,
November 1, 2001;
49(11):
1351 - 1362.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. A. Xu-Friedman, K. M. Harris, and W. G. Regehr
Three-Dimensional Comparison of Ultrastructural Characteristics at Depressing and Facilitating Synapses onto Cerebellar Purkinje Cells
J. Neurosci.,
September 1, 2001;
21(17):
6666 - 6672.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
D. Beutner and T. Moser
The Presynaptic Function of Mouse Cochlear Inner Hair Cells during Development of Hearing
J. Neurosci.,
July 1, 2001;
21(13):
4593 - 4599.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
T. Moser and D. Beutner
Kinetics of exocytosis and endocytosis at the cochlear inner hair cell afferent synapse of the mouse
PNAS,
January 18, 2000;
97(2):
883 - 888.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
J. Burrone and L. Lagnado
Synaptic Depression and the Kinetics of Exocytosis in Retinal Bipolar Cells
J. Neurosci.,
January 15, 2000;
20(2):
568 - 578.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. Gomis, J. Burrone, and L. Lagnado
Two Actions of Calcium Regulate the Supply of Releasable Vesicles at the Ribbon Synapse of Retinal Bipolar Cells
J. Neurosci.,
August 1, 1999;
19(15):
6309 - 6317.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|
|