Cholesterol as a key player in the balance of evoked and spontaneous glutamate release in rat brain cortical synaptosomes

► Methyl-β-cyclodextrin induced spontaneous but inhibited the KCl-evoked glutamate release. ► This effect might be upstream to sodium and calcium entry through channels. ► Cholesterol controls the balance between spontaneous and evoked exocytosis by facilitating protein kinase activation.