Presynaptic ER and neurotransmitter release
Our brains contain around 86 billion neurons, each connecting with many others at tiny contact sites called synapses. For neurons to communicate effectively and support essential functions like learning and memory, calcium levels within these synapses must be precisely regulated. Local changes in calcium near the synapse are especially important, as they strongly influence how signals are transmi
One key regulator of these calcium levels is the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), a structure within neurons that helps maintain balanced calcium levels.
In a recent comprehensive review about the multiple roles of the ER, published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience last week, the authors Lia G. Carvalhais, Koen Kole, and Marijn Kuijpers dedicate a section to the presynaptic ER and neurotransmitter release. Below, I summarize what is discussed.