Molecular Mechanisms in Synaptic Vesicle Endocytosis and Recycling

Abstract

Neurons exchange information at synapses with topological precision and speed by capitalizing on the general property of all cells to recycle vesicles at the cell periphery. “Fast” neurotransmitters are stored in synaptic vesicles that release their content into the synaptic cleft by exocytosis. The selective clustering and docking of these vesicles at the presynaptic plasmalemma ensures spatial specificity, and the short delay between nerve terminal depolarization and their exocytosis ensures speed. After fusion, synaptic vesicle membranes are rapidly recycled by endocytosis and reused for the generation of new synaptic vesicles. Given the relationship of this vesicle recycling pathway to the housekeeping recycling pathway used by all cells, elucidation of the mechanisms of synaptic vesicle reformation broadens our knowledge of the general mechanisms of exocytosis–endocytosis.