Human pyramidal to interneuron synapses are mediated by multi-vesicular release and multiple docked vesicles.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 27536876.
- Also identified by DOI 10.7554/eLife.18167 and PMC identifier 4999310.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Classic theories link cognitive abilities to synaptic properties and human-specific biophysical features of synapses might contribute to the unparalleled performance of the human cerebral cortex. Paired recordings and multiple probability fluctuation analysis revealed similar quantal sizes, but 4-times more functional release sites in human pyramidal cell to fast-spiking interneuron connections compared to rats. These connections were mediated on average by three synaptic contacts in both species. Each presynaptic active zone (AZ) contains 6.2 release sites in human, but only 1.6 in rats. Electron microscopy (EM) and EM tomography showed that an AZ harbors 4 docked vesicles in human, but only a single one in rats. Consequently, a Katz's functional release site occupies ~0.012 μm(2) in the human presynaptic AZ and ~0.025 μm(2) in the rat. Our results reveal a robust difference in the biophysical properties of a well-defined synaptic connection of the cortical microcircuit of human and rodents.
Medical subject headings
- Interneurons
- Presynaptic Terminals
- Pyramidal Cells
- Synaptic Vesicles