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The Neuroscientist, Vol. 12, No. 5, 375-378 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/1073858406291588

"Kiss-and-Run" Exocytosis in Astrocytes

Xiao-Ke Chen

Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China

Ying-Fei Xiong

Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China; Institute of Neurosciences, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xian, China

Zhuan Zhou

Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China; State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China

Neurons and glia are the principal cellular components of the nervous system. Although the glia are 10 times more numerous than neurons, until recently they were thought to be passive cells that monitor and support the active neurons by taking up used neurotransmitters from the synapses. In the past few years, this concept has been challenged by the findings that Ca2+ waves spread from one astrocyte to another via Ca2+-and SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor)-dependent gliotransmitter release in pure cultures of astrocytes, raising the possibility that glia are not so passive as previously thought. This hypothesis was further advanced by two recent reports, which demonstrated that astrocytes release glutamate via vesicular exocytosis in response to stimuli. The kinetics of single vesicle exocytosis is distinct from its neural equivalent, because in response to physiological stimulation, gliotransmitter release is exclusively in the mode of "kiss and run." These advances were made possible by newly available techniques for single vesicle recordings, which will also be briefly reviewed here.

Key Words: Kiss-and-run • Fusion pore • Amperometry • Glutamate • Astrocyte


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