Vesicular transmitter release from astrocytes

✍ Scribed by Vedrana Montana; Erik B. Malarkey; Claudia Verderio; Michela Matteoli; Vladimir Parpura

• Book ID: 102847905
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2006
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 628 KB
• Volume: 54
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0894-1491
• DOI: 10.1002/glia.20367

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Astrocytes can release a variety of transmitters, including glutamate and ATP, in response to stimuli that induce increases in intracellular Ca^2+^ levels. This release occurs via a regulated, exocytotic pathway. As evidence of this, astrocytes express protein components of the vesicular secretory apparatus, including synaptobrevin 2, syntaxin, and SNAP‐23. Additionally, astrocytes possess vesicular organelles, the essential morphological elements required for regulated Ca^2+^‐dependent transmitter release. The location of specific exocytotic sites on these cells, however, remains to be unequivocally determined. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.