Axel Brunger: “Molecular mechanisms of calcium triggered exocytosis”

The central nervous system relies on electrical signals traveling along neurons at high speeds. Signals are also transmitted between two neurons, or from a neuron to a muscle fiber through synaptic junctions. Synaptic transmission relies on the release of neurotransmitter molecules into the synaptic cleft. This release in turn depends on a process called membrane fusion to ensure that the neurotransmitter molecules that are contained in synaptic vesicles are released into the synaptic cleft as quickly as possible. Membrane fusion is an important process in many areas of biology, including intracellular transport and hormone release, but it occurs much faster (< 1 millisecond) for synaptic vesicle fusion than for these other processes. Recent imaging and reconstitution studies of synaptic vesicles and synapses will be presented.Speaker Institution: Stanford University