An emerging view of presynaptic structure from electron microscopic studies

Abstract

In response to calcium influx, some of the synaptic vesicles in presynaptic terminals fuse rapidly with the presynaptic membrane, allowing fast synaptic transmission. The regulated recycling of synaptic vesicles at the terminals is required for a sustained release of neurotransmitters. Localization of 'ready to be released' vesicles in close vicinities to voltage-gated calcium channels enables the rapid release of neurotransmitters. Thus, recycling vesicles must translocate from the sites of endocytosis to these release sites. However, the sub-cellular organization that supports this local vesicular traffic remains poorly understood. We will review the results of various electron microscopy studies, which have begun to unveil the structure of presynaptic terminals. © 2009 International Society for Neurochemistry.