This book brings together leading international experts to discuss recent advances in
functional studies on key proteins and protein complexes involved in each synaptic vesicle
phase. These include proteins that control the final step of neurotransmitter release in
response to a neural signal and the first step of vesicle endocytosis which helps maintain
stable neurotransmitter release in response to unceasing neural signals arriving at presynaptic
terminals.Neural networks transmit input and output signals of action potentials using chemical
synapses. The strength of the signal from one to another neuron can be tuned by the neural
signal itself as it induces Ca2+ entry and by other neurons' signals that modify Ca2+ entry
through voltage-gated Ca2+ channels at the active zone where chemical neurotransmitters are
released from synaptic vesicles via exocytosis. Synaptic vesicles are docked and primed at the
active zone prior to exocytosis and are endocytosed after exocytosis for reuse at a small
presynaptic terminal. Recycled vesicles are refilled with transmitters and stored for a future
round of exocytosis. Thus synaptic vesicles in presynaptic terminals go through various
phases. Each vesicle phase is well orchestrated by numerous proteins and advance step-by-step
with neural activities.The fine regulations of synaptic vesicle phases by numerous proteins is
an exciting subject and systematic well-organized explanations in this book will help the
reader easily learn about complicated molecular mechanisms in presynaptic terminals.
