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Abstract:
This chapter focuses on the study of the dynamics of synaptic vesicles during nerve stimulation; it uses antibodies against clathrin—the major protein of coated vesicles—and synaptophysin—an integral membrane protein of synaptic vesicles—to monitor the distribution of synaptic vesicles and clathrin. There are currently three models for synaptic vesicle recycling under debate—recycling via clathrin coated vesicles, recycling via endocytotic cistemae, and the kiss and run mechanism that does not postulate the total fusion of the vesicle with the plasma membrane, but rather proposes a short opening of a fusion pore. The major component of coated vesicles is accumulated in small intra-synaptic spots if the terminal is highly stimulated. In a resting terminal, this protein shows a more or less widespread distribution inside the synapse with a trend toward clustering. These clusters resemble synaptic vesicle clusters regarding shape and distribution, but future double-labeling experiments have to be done to show the identity of clathrin and vesicle clusters. It has not yet become clear if the stimulation-dependent clathrin aggregation is directly related to the formation of coated vesicles
