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Published Online March 17, 2005
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1100815

Reports

Submitted on May 27, 2004
Accepted on February 10, 2005

Target-Cell Dependent Normalization of Transmitter Release at Neocortical Synapses

Helmut J. Koester 1* and Daniel Johnston 2

1 Abteilung Zellphysiologie, Max-Planck-Institut für medizinische Forschung, Jahnstr. 29, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Present address: Div. of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
2 Div. of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Helmut J. Koester , E-mail: HKoester{at}mail.utexas.edu

The efficacy and short-term modification of neocortical synaptic connections vary with the type of target neuron. We investigated presynaptic Ca2+ and release probability at single synaptic contacts between pairs of neurons in layer 2/3 of the rat neocortex. The amplitude of Ca2+ signals in boutons of pyramids contacting bitufted or multipolar interneurons or other pyramids was dependent on the target-cell type. Optical quantal analysis at single synaptic contacts suggested that release probabilities are also target-cell specific. Both the Ca2+ signal and the release probability of different boutons of a pyramid contacting the same target cell varied little. We propose that the mechanisms that regulate the functional properties of boutons of a pyramid "normalize" the presynaptic Ca2+ influx and release probability for all those boutons that innervate the same target cell.


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