Two mathematical frameworks for vesicle release from a ribbon synapse of a retinal bipolar cell

Objective:bipolar cells(BCs)communicate with amacrine and ganglion cells of the retina via both transient and sustained neurotransmitter release in ribbon synapses.Reconstructing the published quantitative release data from electrical soma stimulation(voltage clamp experiments)of rat rod BCs were used to develop two simple models to predict the number of released vesicles as time series.In the experiment,the currents coming to the All amacrine cell originating from releasing vesicles from the rod BC were recorded using paired-recordings in whole-cell voltage-clamp method.Method:one of the models is based directly on terminal transmembrane voltage,so-called ‘model’,whereas the temporally exacter modelCa includes changes of intracellular calcium concentrations at terminals.Result:the intracellular calcium concentration method replicates a 0.43 ms signal delay for the transient release to pulsatile stimulation as a consequence of calcium channel dynamics in the presynaptic membrane,while the modelV has no signal delay.Both models produce the quite similar results in low stimuli amplitudes.However,for large stimulation intensities that may be done during extracellular stimulations in retinal implants,the modelCa predicts that the reversal potential of calcium limits the number of transiently released vesicles.Adding sodium and potassium ion channels to the axon of the cell enable to study the impact of spikes on the transient release in BC ribbons.Conclusion:a spike elicited by somatic stimulation causes the rapid release of all vesicles that are available for transient release,while a non-spiking BC with a similar morphometry needs stronger stimuli for any transient vesicle release.During extracellular stimulation,there was almost no difference in transient release between the active and passive cells because in both cases the terminal membrane of the cell senses the same potentials originating from the microelectrode.An exception was found for long pulses when the spike has the possibility to generate a higher terminal voltage than the passive cell.Simulated periodic 5 Hz stimulation showed a reduced transient release of 3 vesicles per stimulus,which is a recovery effect.

Dynamic changes in hair cell ribbon synapse induced by loss of spiral ganglion neurons in mice

Background Previous studies have suggested that primary degeneration of hair cells causes secondary degeneration of spiral ganglion neurons （SGNs）,but the effect of SGN degeneration on hair cells has not been studied.In the adult mouse inner ear ouabain can selectively and permanently induce the degeneration of type 1 SGNs while leaving type 2 SGNs,efferent fibers,and sensory hair cells relatively intact.This study aimed to investigate the dynamic changes in hair cell ribbon synapse induced by loss of SGNs using ouabain application to the round window niche of adult mice.Methods In the analysis,24 CBA/CAJ mice aged 8-10 weeks,were used,of which 6 normal mice were used as the control group.After ouabain application in the round window niche 6 times in an hour,ABR threshold shifts at least 30 dB in the three experimental groups which had six mice for 1-week group,six for 1-month group,and six for 3-month group.All 24 animals underwent function test at 1 week and then immunostaining at 1 week,1 month,and 3 months.Results The loss of neurons was followed by degeneration of postsynaptic specializations at the afferent synapse with hair cells.One week after ouabain treatment,the nerve endings of type 1 SGNs and postsynaptic densities,as measured by Na/K ATPase and PSD-95,were affected but not entirely missing,but their partial loss had consequences for synaptic ribbons that form the presynaptic specialization at the synapse between hair cells and primary afferent neurons.Ribbon numbers in inner hair cells decreased （some of them broken and the ribbon number much decreased）,and the arrangement of the synaptic ribbons had undergone a dynamic reorganization：ribbons with or without associated postsynaptic densities moved from their normal location in the basal membrane of the cell to a more apical location and the neural endings alone were also found at more apical locations without associated ribbons.After 1 month,when the neural postsynaptic densities had completed their degeneration,most ribbons were lost and the remaining ribbons had no contact with postsynaptic densities; after 3 months,the ribbon synapses were gone except for an occasional remnant of a CtBP2-positive vesicle.Hair cells were intact other than the loss of ribbons （based on immunohistochemistry and DPOAE）.Conclusion These findings define the effect of SGN loss on the precise spatiotemporal size and location of ribbons and the time course of synaptic degeneration and provide a model for studying plasticity and regeneration.

Extrinsic sound stimulations and development of periphery auditory synapses

The development of auditory synapses is a key process for the maturation of heating function. However, it is still on debate regaralng wnemer the development of auditory synapses is dominated by acquired sound stimulations. In this review, we summarize relevant publications in recent decades to address this issue. Most reported data suggest that extrinsic sound stimulations do affect, but not govern the development of periphery auditory synapses. Overall, periphery auditory synapses develop and mature according to its intrinsic mechanism to build up the synaptic connections between sensory neurons and/or interneurons.

THE COCHlEAR RIBBON SYNAPTIC RESPONSE TO AMINOGIYCOSIDE OTOTOXICITY IN C57BL/6J MICE

Objective To investigate the early change of cochlear ribbon synapses on inner hair cells in response to aminoglycoside ototoxicity. Methods C57BL/6J mice received intraperitoneal injection of gentamicin (100 mg/kg/day), and the apical coil organ of Corti was examined on the 4th, 7th and 10th day (n=10). Litter-mates without gentamicin treatment served as controls (n=10). RIBEYE on the presynaptic membrane and AMPA receptors on the postsynaptic membrane were labeled with CtBP2 or GluR2/3 respectively. Three di-mension reconstruction was conducted using the 3DS MAX 8.0 software. Results There were no disruptions of outer or inner hair cells in all groups. However, the number of ribbon synapses on cochlear inner hair cells increased significantly within 7 days after gentamicin exposure (P<0.01), followed by a significant de-crease after 7 days.Conclusion During the early stage of aminoglycoside ototoxicity, increased population of cochlear ribbon synapses may indicate a significant down-regulation of synaptic function.

LOWER DOSE OF AMINOGLYCOSIDE OTOTOXIC EXPOSURE CAUSES PRESYNAPTIC ALTERATIONS ASSOICATED WITH HEARING LOSS

Objective To study presynaptic alternations of cochlear ribbons arising from aminoglycoside ototoxic stimuli in C57BL/6J mice. Methods Animals were injected with low dose gentamicin (100 mg/kg/day) for 14 days, From the 14th to 28th days, the mice were maintained free of gentamicin treatment. Immunohisto-chemistry labeling was employed to trace RIBEYE, a major presynaptic componment of ribbon synapses. RIBEYE/CtBP2 expression levels were assessed and compared with hearing threshold shifts. Auditory func-tion was assessed by auditory brainstem responses. The stereocilia of outer hair cells (OHCs) and IHCs was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results Hearing thresholds were elevated with peak hearing loss observed on the 7th day after gentamicin exposure, followed by improvement after the 7th day. RIBEYE/CtBP2 expression directly correlated with observed hearing threshold shifts. Strikingly, we did not see any obvious changes in stereocilia in both OHCs and IHCs until the 28th day. Mild changes in stereocil-ia were only observed in OHCs on the 28th day. Conclusions These findings indicate that presynapse co-chlear ribbons, rather than stereocilia, may be sensitive to aminoglycoside ototoxic exposure in mice cochle-ae. A pattern of RIBEYE/CtBP2 expression changes seems to parallel hearing threshold shifts and suggests presynaptic response properties to lower dosage of aminoglycoside ototoxic stimuli.

Aligned Organization of Synapses and Mitochondria in Auditory Hair Cells

Recent studies have revealed great functional and structural heterogeneity in the ribbon-type synapses at the basolateral pole of the isopotential inner hair cell(IHC).This feature is believed to be critical for audition over a wide dynamic range,but whether the spatial gradient of ribbon morphology is fine-tuned in each IHC and how the mitochondrial network is organized to meet local energy demands of synaptic transmission remain unclear.By means of three-dimensional electron microscopy and artificial intelligence-based algorithms,we demonstrated the cell-wide structural quantification of ribbons and mitochondria in mature mid-cochlear IHCs of mice.We found that adjacent IHCs in staggered pairs differ substantially in cell body shape and ribbon morphology gradient as well as mitochondrial organization.Moreover,our analysis argues for a location-specific arrangement of correlated ribbon and mitochondrial function at the basolateral IHC pole.