Observation and Quantitation of Exocytosis from the Cell Body of a Fully Developed Neuron in Planorbis Corneus.

Abstract

We have discovered a neuronal system that releases neurotransmitter via exocytosis from the cell body. In the large dopamine cell of the pond snail Planorbis corneus, depolarization induces rhythmic release of dopamine from the cell body. When a stimulant is applied extracellularly or intracellularly in situ to the cell body, transient dopamine concentration packets which appear in a bursting pattern are observed. Dopamine release is calcium dependent and release is on the time scale expected for exocytosis (2 to 4 ms rise time). Quantitation of individual events reveals an average of 818,000 molecules per exocytotic event. As many as 89,000 individual exocytotic events have been observed following a single stimulation of one cell. Neurotransmitter exocytosis from the neuronal cell body appears to represent an alternative form of neurocommunication to synaptic transmission.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 21, 1995
Accession Number
ADA300363

Entities

People

  • Andrew G Ewing
  • Guangyao Chen
  • Guoan Luo
  • Peter F. Gavin

Organizations

  • Pennsylvania State University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Amines
  • Brain
  • Capillary Electrophoresis
  • Carbon Fibers
  • Catecholamines
  • Cell Membrane
  • Cell Physiological Processes
  • Cells
  • Cellular Structures
  • Central Nervous System
  • Chemical Synthesis
  • Chemistry
  • Connective Tissue
  • Dopamine
  • Endocrine System
  • Neurons
  • Synapses

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Marine Ecotoxicology
  • Neuroscience