Rare and spatially segregated release sites mediate a synaptic interaction between two identified network neurons.

Laser-scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM), electron microcopy (EM), and cellular electrophysiology were used in combination to study the structural basis of an inhibitory synapse between two identified neurons of the same network. To achieve this, we examined the chemical inhibitory synapse between identified neurons belonging to the lobster (Homarus gammarus) pyloric network: the pyloric dilator (PD) and the lateral pyloric (LP) neurons. In order to visualize simultaneously these two neurons, we used intrasomatic injection of Lucifer Yellow (LY) in one and rhodamine/horseradish peroxydase (HRP) in the other. Under LSCM, we found only two zones of close apposition in a restricted part of the neuritic tree of the two network neurons. Then, within these two zones, the synaptic release sites were searched using EM. To this end, photoconversion of LY with immunogold and development of HRP with DAB were performed on the previously observed preparations. Structural evidence was found for only one release site per zone. To confirm this result, and because the zones of contact were always segregated in a restricted part of the dendrites, we used laser photoablation to selectively delete, either pre- or postsynaptically, the branches on which the release sites were located. In both cases, such restrictive ablation completely abolished the functional interaction between these neurons. Our results therefore demonstrate that an inhibitory synapse that is essential for the operation of a neural network relies on only very few sites of contact localized in a highly restricted part of each neuron's dendritic arbor. Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Neurobiol 50: 150-163, 2002; DOI 10.1002/neu.10023