The rise times of miniature endplate currents suggest that acetylcholine may be released over a period of time

Abstract

Models of miniature endplate currents predict 20-80% rise times of 100 microseconds or less. These predictions are substantially less than most of the rise times recorded in the literature. New measurements were made of rise times at the frog neuromuscular junction using extracellular recording. The mean 20-80% rise time was 250 microseconds. Rise times were variable; at 20 degrees C, 95% of them fell in a range from 140 to 460 microseconds. The most questionable assumption in the models is that the acetylcholine (ACh) is released instantaneously. Modifying the model, so that ACh diffuses from the vesicle through a pore, lengthens the rise time to observed levels. It has been proposed that ACh is released from the vesicle in exchange for Na+. However, the rise times of miniature endplate currents recorded in solutions in which the Na+ is replaced by sucrose are in the normal range. The Q10 for the rise of miniature endplate currents is approximately 2, which is consistent with the models and with temperature effects on pore formation in mast cells.