We present a new test of the hypothesis that synaptic strength is directly related to nerve terminal morphology through analysis of synaptic transmission at Drosophila neuromuscular junctions with a genetically reduced number of nerve terminal varicosities. Synaptic transmission would decrease in target cells with fewer varicosities if there is a relationship between the number of varicosities ...

The regulated trafficking of GluR1 contributes significantly to synaptic plasticity, but studies addressing the function of the GluR1 C-terminal PDZ-ligand domain in this process have produced conflicting results. Here, we resolve this conflict by showing that apparently similar C-terminal mutations of the GluR1 PDZ-ligand domain result in opposite physiological phenotypes during activity- and ...

Neuroprotective effect of deprenyl on motoneurons of spinal cord after axotomy of peripheral nerves such as sciatic has been well established. Deprenyl is an inhibitor of monoamine oxidase type-B (MAO-B). The main function of this agent is the release of neurotransmitters from pre-synaptic terminals. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that is synthesized by choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and...

We present a new test of the hypothesis that synaptic strength is directly related to nerve terminal morphology through analysis of synaptic transmission at Drosophila neuromuscular junctions with a genetically reduced number of nerve terminal varicosities. Synaptic transmission would decrease in target cells with fewer varicosities if there is a relationship between the number of varicosities ...

Synaptic vesicle accumulation and morphological changes are characteristic features of axon terminal differentiation during synaptogenesis. To investigate the regulatory mechanism that orchestrates synaptic molecules to form mature presynaptic terminals, we visualized a single axon terminal of zebrafish olfactory sensory neurons in vivo and examined the effects of the neuron-specific gene manip...

Regulation of synaptic efficacy by nerve terminal excitability has not been extensively studied. We performed genetic and pharmacological dissections for presynaptic actions of K+ channels in Drosophila neuromuscular transmission by using electrophysiological and optical imaging techniques. Current understanding of the roles of the Shab IK channel and its mammalian Kv2 counterparts is relativel...