Resting and stimulated mouse rod photoreceptors show distinct patterns of vesicle release at ribbon synapses

The vertebrate visual system can detect and transmit signals from single photons. To understand how single-photon responses are transmitted, we characterized voltage-dependent properties of glutamate release in mouse rods. We measured presynaptic glutamate transporter anion current and found that rates of synaptic vesicle release increased with voltage-dependent Ca(2+) current. Ca(2+) influx and release rate also rose with temperature, attaining a rate of ∼11 vesicles/s/ribbon at −40 mV (35°C). By contrast, spontaneous release events at hyperpolarized potentials (−60 to −70 mV) were univesicular and occurred at random intervals. However, when rods were voltage clamped at −40 mV for many seconds to simulate maintained darkness, release occurred in coordinated bursts of 17 ± 7 quanta (mean ± SD; n = 22). Like fast release evoked by brief depolarizing stimuli, these bursts involved vesicles in the readily releasable pool of vesicles and were triggered by the opening of nearby ribbon-associated Ca(2+) channels. Spontaneous release rates were elevated and bursts were absent after genetic elimination of the Ca(2+) sensor synaptotagmin 1 (Syt1). This study shows that at the resting potential in darkness, rods release glutamate-filled vesicles from a pool at the base of synaptic ribbons at low rates but in Syt1-dependent bursts. The absence of bursting in cones suggests that this behavior may have a role in transmitting scotopic responses.