Neuronal activity and retrograde intra-axonal transport.

• Project/Area Number: 62570069
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Neurophysiology and muscle physiology
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Neurosciences
• Principal Investigator: KOIKE Hiroyuki Dept. of Neurophysiol., Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Neurosciences,, 神経生理学研究室, 副参事研究員 (90073072)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): UMITSU Yoshitomo Dept. of Neurophysiol., Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Neurosciences,, 神経生理学研究室, 主事研究員 (80113489)
• Project Period (FY): 1987 – 1988
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 1988)
• Budget Amount: ¥2,000,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,000,000); Fiscal Year 1988: ¥600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000); Fiscal Year 1987: ¥1,400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000)
• Keywords: 逆行性軸索内輸送 / 開口放出 / 急速凍結法 / シビレエイ

Research Abstract

It is generally accepted that synaptic vesicles in the pre-synaptic nerve terminal fuse with the presynaptic terminal membrane and release the transmitter. The resulted extra terminal membrane will be uptaken into the terminal by clathrin mediated pinocytosis. Therefore, the synaptic activation will increase the number of coated vesicles in the terminal and also may increase the number of retrogradely transporting vesicles along the axon. We have tried to clarify the assumption using cholinergic nerve terminals of electric organ of Torpedo and Narke. The terminal region was quick-frozen while stimulating the clectric nerve. The replica examined by electron microscopy showed many synaptic vesicles in the terminal, but no significant differences between stimulated one and control. We also examined the retrograde axonal transport upon nerve stimulations. The movement of particles along the axon was analyzed by computer enhanced video image of the interference contrast microscopy of the fine branches of the electric nerve. But, their movements was not modified by stimulation of the nerve.