Presynaptic mitochondria and the temporal pattern of neurotransmitter release

Abstract

Mitochondria are critical for the function of nerve terminals as the cycling of synaptic vesicle membrane requires an efficient supply of ATP. In addition, the presynaptic mitochondria take part in functions such as Ca²⁺ buffering and neurotransmitter synthesis. To learn more about presynaptic mitochondria, we have examined their organization in two types of synapse in the lamprey, both of which are glutamatergic but are adapted to different temporal patterns of activity. The first is the giant lamprey reticulospinal synapse, which is specialized to transmit phasic signals (i.e. bursts of impulses). The second is the synapse established by sensory dorsal column axons, which is adapted to tonic activity. In both cases, the presynaptic axons were found to contain two distinct types of mitochondria; small ‘synaptic’ mitochondria, located near release sites, and larger mitochondria located in more central parts of the axon. The size of the synapse–associated mitochondria was similar in both types of synapse. However, their number differed considerably. Whereas the reticulospinal synapses contained only single mitochondria within 1 micrometre distance from the edge of the active zone (on average 1.2 per active zone, range of 1–3), the tonic dorsal column synapses were surrounded by clusters of mitochondria (4.5 per active zone, range of 3–6), with individual mitochondria sometimes apparently connected by intermitochondrial contacts. In conjunction with studies of crustacean neuromuscular junctions, these observations indicate that the temporal pattern of transmitter release is an important determinant of the organization of presynaptic mitochondria.