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PubMed · 14766171

Design for a binary synapse.

Peter Sterling·Robert G Smith
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Abstract

The mammalian rod transfers a binary signal, the capture of 0 or 1 photon. In this issue of Neuron, Sampath and Rieke show in mouse that the rod's tonic exocytosis in darkness completely saturates a G protein cascade to close nearly all postsynaptic channels. A full-sized photon event supresses exocytosis sufficiently to allow approximately 30 postsynaptic channels to open simultaneously. Thus, the synapse behaves like a digital gate, whose hallmark is reliability and resistance to noise.

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AnimalsDarknessDose-Response Relationship, RadiationExocytosisGuanosine 5'-O-(3-Thiotriphosphate)HumansMiceModels, NeurologicalNeuronsPhotonsRetinaRetinal Rod Photoreceptor CellsSynapsesSynaptic TransmissionVision, OcularCommentJournal Article

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Peter Sterling, Robert G Smith. 2004-02-05. Design for a binary synapse.. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0896-6273(04)00044-3

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