IONIC CHANNELS IN SYNAPTIC VESICLES: ARE THEY INVOLVED IN TRANSMITTER RELEASE?

Rami Rahamimoff, Nilly Yakir, Susan A. DeRiemer, Simona Ginsburg, Igor Kaiserman, Roy Shapira, Bert Sakamann, Herbert Stadler

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Synaptic vesicles were isolated from the nerve terminals of Torpedo electric organ. After fusion, ‘giant’ vesicles were formed which could be examined by the patch clamp technique. One of the cationic channels, the P channel, shows a small preference for K+ compared to Na+ and has multiple conductance levels. Its rate of opening is voltage and calcium dependent. Fractal analysis of the P channels reveals that its behaviour does not seem to be fractal in nature. At voltages where only one conductance level is observed, fractal analysis shows at least one discrete open state and at least two discrete closed states. There are considerable similarities between the P channel and channels found in granules from the hypophysis. These channels resemble, in turn, the channels found in gap junctions. Therefore, it is not unwarranted to speculate that a gap‐junction‐like communication between the secretory vesicle and the extracellular space may occur during exocytosis.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1019-1031
Number of pages13
JournalQuarterly Journal of Experimental Physiology
Volume74
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 12 Nov 1989

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