18 Patch-Clamp Recordings from Drosophila Presynaptic Terminals

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on patch-clamp recordings from drosophila presynaptic terminals. In general, the events that take place in synaptic terminals have had to be inferred from recordings performed in the soma. However, it is generally admitted that the synaptic membrane is endowed with a wide and specialized repertoire of ion channels whose activity determines the modulation of neural signaling. Also, mounting evidence from the in situ expression of synaptic proteins and, most relevant, localization of specific protein isoforms indicates that synapses are very diverse. The necessity of approaching synaptic studies from a multidisciplinary perspective justifies the effort to develop suitable methods in organisms where genetic and behavioral studies are also feasible. To that end, the chapter has tried to develop a new preparation for synaptic transmission in Drosophila. The Drosophila larval body-wall muscle fibers are innervated by several axons that produce morphologically distinct synaptic contacts on specific fibers. The chapter describes several types of synaptic boutons, classed as types I to III, which differ in their size, morphology, and vesicle phenotype.