Calyx of Held nervous system has allowed for direct research within a mammalian model and the large size increases the ease of electrophysiological recording. For these reasons it has been popular in understanding transmitter release. Specifically, the calyx of Held is used because of: Calyx of Held The Calyx of Held is a particularly large synapse in the mammalian auditory central nervous system, so named by Hans Held in his 1893 article "Die centrale Gehörleitung" because of its resemblance to the calyx of a flower. Globular bushy cells in the anteroventral cochlear nucleus (AVCN) send axons to the contralateral medial nucleus of the
Calyx of Held calcium into the mitochondria, and providing energy for glutamate synthesis. Various glial cells are also associated with the calyx of Held. Two types of glial cells surround the calyx: astrocytes and NG glial cells. The astrocytes express glutamate transporters to remove glutamate from the synapse. This is the only known mechanism for removal of glutamate from the synapse. The NG glial cells express AMPA receptors. At postnatal day two (P2), the immature calyx of Held is formed, easily distinguished by its characteristic sealed-spoon morphology. The primary synaptic contacts that form the calyx are assembled between neurons of the MNTB (medial