Journal article
Eliciting Presynaptic Homeostatic Potentiation at the Drosophila Larval Neuromuscular Junction
Cold Spring Harbor protocols, Vol.2025(5), pp.1-7
05/05/2025
DOI: 10.1101/pdb.prot108424
PMCID: PMC11522017
PMID: 38688541
Abstract
The Drosophila melanogaster neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is an easily accessible synapse and an excellent model for understanding synapse development, function, and plasticity. A form of plasticity called presynaptic homeostatic potentiation (PHP) operates at the NMJ and keeps synapse excitation levels stable. PHP can be induced rapidly in 10 min by application of a pharmacological antagonist of glutamate receptors (philanthotoxin-433) or chronically by deletion of the gene encoding the postsynaptic glutamate receptor subunit GluRIIA. To assess PHP, electrophysiological recordings of spontaneous miniature excitatory postsynaptic potentials and evoked excitatory postsynaptic potentials are usually performed at the NMJ of muscle 6 at abdominal segments A2 and A3. This protocol describes steps for larval dissection to access the NMJ, use of mutant lines to assess PHP, application of philanthotoxin-433 to the NMJ, and electrophysiological recordings following drug application. Collectively, these steps allow for analysis of the acute induction and expression of PHP. Recording chamber preparation, electrophysiology rig setup, larval dissection, and current clamp recording steps have been described elsewhere.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Eliciting Presynaptic Homeostatic Potentiation at the Drosophila Larval Neuromuscular Junction
- Creators
- Tingting Wang - Georgetown University Medical CenterC Andrew Frank - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Cold Spring Harbor protocols, Vol.2025(5), pp.1-7
- DOI
- 10.1101/pdb.prot108424
- PMID
- 38688541
- PMCID
- PMC11522017
- NLM abbreviation
- Cold Spring Harb Protoc
- eISSN
- 1559-6095
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 04/30/2024
- Date published
- 05/05/2025
- Academic Unit
- Anatomy and Cell Biology; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Biology
- Record Identifier
- 9984623023902771
Metrics
5 Record Views