Estimation of parameters for a model of transmitter release at synapses

Abstract

We consider models for the release of transmitter in response to nerve impulses, where it is assumed that quanta of transmitter are released from some of n sites, the probability of release from any site being p. It is assumed that the quantal size is either a constant or is distributed as a normal or a gamma variate. Observations on both spontaneous potentials and evoked potentials are used to obtain moment estimated of n and p. Large sample estimates of the standard errors of these estimates are given.