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Ultra-Fast Versus Sustained Cholinergic Transmission: A Variety of Different Mechanisms

Dunant, Yves ; Bancila, Victor ; Cordeiro, Miguel

In: Journal of Molecular Neuroscience, 2010, vol. 40, no. 1-2, p. 27-31

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    Title
    • Ultra-Fast Versus Sustained Cholinergic Transmission: A Variety of Different Mechanisms
    Author
    • Dunant, Yves. Neurosciences Fondamentales, University of Geneva, CMU, 1211, Geneva-4, Switzerland
    • Bancila, Victor. Neurosciences Fondamentales, University of Geneva, CMU, 1211, Geneva-4, Switzerland
    • Cordeiro, Miguel. Neurosciences Fondamentales, University of Geneva, CMU, 1211, Geneva-4, Switzerland
    Document Type
    • Postprint
    OAI-PMH Identifier
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:322527
    Summary
    Although synaptic transmission was assumed to use the same mechanisms in the case of different synapses of the central and peripheral nervous system, recent research revealed a great variety of different processes. Time might be a crucial factor to be considered in this diversity. It is recalled that the speed of a chemical reaction is inversely related to affinity. "Time is gained at the expense of sensitivity” as noticed by Bernard Katz (1989). Therefore, synaptic transmission will occur at a high speed only if it is supported by low affinity reactions. In the present work, we compare two examples of ultra-rapid transmission (the Torpedo nerve electroplaque synapse and the rat hippocampus mossy fiber/CA3 synapses), with a cholinergic process operating with high affinity but at a low speed: the release of glutamate elicited by nicotine from mossy fibers of the rat hippocampus