Characteristics of spontaneous miniature and subminiature end-plate currents at the mouse neuromuscular junction.

1. Neuromuscular junctions of the mouse diaphragm were voltage clamped with a two-electrode voltage clamp in order to evaluate time characteristics of miniature end-plate currents (MEPCs). 2. The MEPCs fell into two amplitude classes: a larger class with an overall bell-shaped distribution (bell MEPCs) and a smaller class which forms a right-hand skew distribution (skew MEPCs). The mean MEPC amplitudes varied greatly because of the large range in the ratio of skew to bell MEPCs. This variation was greatest in neonate mice. 3. Rise time and time-to-peak were the same for MEPCs of the skew and bell classes. The MEPCs of both classes in neonate and adult mice had the same ratio of area (charge) over amplitude and the same time constant of decay. The absolute values changed with maturation (at 30 degrees C the ratio of area/amplitude was 4.5 +/- 0.8 ms in the newborn and 1.2 +/- 0.05 ms in the adult; the time constant of decay was 5.6 +/- 1.2 ms in the newborn and 0.8 +/- 0.05 ms in the adult). 4. Atypical MEPCs were found at all junctions. These had slow rising and falling phases, notches on the rising phases or a step the size of the sub-MEPC class. The number of atypical MEPCs increased during the experiment. 5. The data suggest that both skew and bell MEPC classes are released from the same presynaptic region and are generated by the same postsynaptic mechanism.