Click here to close Hello! We notice that you are using Internet Explorer, which is not supported by Xenbase and may cause the site to display incorrectly. We suggest using a current version of Chrome, FireFox, or Safari.
XB-ART-24371
Science 1991 Nov 15;2545034:1019-22.
Show Gene links Show Anatomy links

Activity-dependent synaptic competition in vitro: heterosynaptic suppression of developing synapses.

Lo YJ , Poo MM .


???displayArticle.abstract???
The development and stability of synaptic connections in the nervous system are influenced by the pattern of electrical activity and the competitive interaction between the adjacent nerve terminals. To investigate this influence, a culture system of nerve and muscle cells has been developed in which a single embryonic muscle cell is coinnervated by two spinal neurons. The effect of electrical activity on the synaptic efficacy was examined after repetitive electrical stimulation was applied to one or both neurons. Brief tetanic stimulation of one neuron resulted in immediate functional suppression of the synapse made by the unstimulated neuron innervating the same muscle cell. This heterosynaptic suppression was largely absent when the tetanic stimulation was applied concurrently to both neurons. This result demonstrates that activity-dependent synaptic competition can be studied in vitro at a cellular level.

???displayArticle.pubmedLink??? 1658939
???displayArticle.link??? Science
???displayArticle.grants??? [+]