Independent Vesicle Pools Underlie Different Modes of Release during Neuronal Development

• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.5181-11.2012
• Publication Date: 2012-02-01T21:59:37Z
• Authors: Laura C. Andreae; Naila Ben Fredj; Juan Burrone
• Keywords: Active zone

Mature presynaptic terminals release neurotransmitter both in response to activity and spontaneously. We found that axons of rat hippocampal neurons initially show very high levels exclusively spontaneous release, which progressively switches over the mature phenotype during synapse formation. These two modes vesicle cycling derive from distinct pools throughout development initiation activity-dependent was independent postsynaptic contacts, suggesting it is an autonomous event.