Dynamic control of presynaptic Ca(2+) inflow by fast-inactivating K+ channels in hippocampal mossy fiber boutons

Analysis of presynaptic determinants of synaptic strength has been difficult at cortical synapses, mainly due to the lack of direct access to presynaptic elements. Here we report patch-clamp recordings from mossy fiber boutons (MFBs) in rat hippocampal slices. The presynaptic action potential is very short during low-frequency stimulation but is prolonged up to 3-fold during high-frequency stimulation. Voltage-gated K+ channels in MFBs inactivate rapidly but recover from inactivation very slowly, suggesting that cumulative K+ channel inactivation mediates activity-dependent spike broadening. Prolongation of the presynaptic voltage waveform leads to an increase in the number of Ca2+ ions entering the terminal per action potential and to a consecutive potentiation of evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents at MFB-CA3 pyramidal cell synapses. Thus, inactivation of presynaptic K+ channels contributes to the control of efficacy of a glutamatergic synapse in the cortex.