Abstract
Synaptic transmission between neurons is the basic mechanism for information processing in cortical microcircuits. To date, paired recording from synaptically coupled neurons is the most widely used method which allows a detailed functional characterization of unitary synaptic transmission at the cellular and synaptic level in combination with a structural characterization of both pre- and postsynaptic neurons at the light and electron microscopic level. In this review, we will summarize the many applications of paired recordings to investigate synaptic function and structure. Paired recordings have been used to study the detailed electrophysiological and anatomical properties of synaptically coupled cell pairs within a synaptic microcircuit; this is critical in order to understand the connectivity rules and dynamic properties of synaptic transmission. Paired recordings can also be adopted for quantal analysis of an identified synaptic connection and to study the regulation of synaptic transmission by neuromodulators such as acetylcholine, the monoamines, neuropeptides, and adenosine etc. Taken together, paired recordings from synaptically coupled neurons will remain a very useful approach for a detailed characterization of synaptic transmission not only in the rodent brain but also that of other species including humans.
Highlights
To understand local neuronal microcircuits in the brain, it is necessary to know the morphological and electrophysiological properties of both the pre- and postsynaptic neurons, the synaptic connection type(s) and their structure-function relationship
Paired recordings together with intracellular staining by markers such as biocytin/neurobiotin and/or fluorescent dyes are better suited for studying local neuronal microcircuits
It is important to determine the optimal procedure for preparing brain slices so that the axo-dendritic branches of both pre- and postsynaptic neuron for the synaptic connection under study is well preserved
Summary
To understand local neuronal microcircuits in the brain, it is necessary to know the morphological and electrophysiological properties of both the pre- and postsynaptic neurons, the synaptic connection type(s) and their structure-function relationship. In addition to this detailed analysis of the synaptic transmission at a defined neuronal microcircuit paired recordings allow the study of quantal properties of identified synapses and the modulation of synaptic transmission by neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine, noradrenaline, dopamine, serotonin, and adenosine.
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