Numerical simulation of miniature endplate currents.

A FORTRAN computer program is described which enables solution of a set of partial differential equations describing synaptic transmission, including neurotransmitter diffusion, binding to receptors on the postsynaptic membrane with subsequent formation of open ion-conducting channels, and hydrolysis. Integration is performed with a widely available package (PDETWO), and flexibility is achieved through use of 6 user-specified routines. The reliability of solution was checked by comparison with an analytic solution for a diffusion-only model. Application of the program is illustrated with an analysis of miniature endplate current rise times.