LAUSR

Neuroscience The function of microtubules and filamentous actin in mature synapses is not fully understood. Using confocal and stimulated emission depletion microscopy on a giant auditory synapse of the rat nervous system, termed the calyx of Held, Babu et al. found that microtubules extended into terminal swellings and were partially colocalized with synaptic vesicles. Depolymerization of microtubules in calyceal terminals prolonged the recovery of excitatory postsynaptic currents from short-term depression, whereas fast recovery from short-term depression was prolonged by depolymerization of filamentous actin. These results reveal distinct contributions of filamentous actin and microtubules to synaptic neurotransmission and indicate that these cytoskeletal elements independently contribute to different aspects of the recycling of synaptic vesicles. J. Neurosci. 40 , 131 (2020).