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Updated: Jul 1, 2026

Preparation of Synaptic Plasma Membrane and Postsynaptic Density Proteins Using a Discontinuous Sucrose Gradient
Published on: September 3, 2014
Sema4c, a transmembrane semaphorin, interacts with a post-synaptic density protein, PSD-95
S Inagaki1, Y Ohoka, H Sugimoto
1Group of Neurobiology, School of Allied Health Sciences, Osaka University Faculty of Medicine, Yamadaoka 1-7, Suita-shi, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan. inagaki@sahs.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
Sema4C, a transmembrane semaphorin, is found in adult mouse brains and interacts with PSD-95 proteins in the post-synaptic density. This suggests Sema4C may play a role in cortical neuron signaling.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Semaphorins are known chemorepulsive molecules crucial for neural development.
- Sema4C, a group 4 semaphorin, is a transmembrane protein with an undetermined function.
- Its cytoplasmic domain contains a proline-rich region suggesting potential interactions with signaling proteins.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the function and localization of Sema4C in the adult mouse brain.
- To explore the potential interaction of Sema4C with postsynaptic density proteins.
Main Methods:
- Biochemical fractionation of adult mouse brain tissue.
- Immunostaining and colocalization studies in neocortical cultures.
- Analysis of Sema4C association with PSD-95 isoforms.
Main Results:
- Sema4C is enriched in the adult mouse brain, particularly in synaptic vesicle and postsynaptic density fractions.
- Sema4C associates with PSD-95 isoforms (PSD-95/SAP90, PSD-93/chapsin110, SAP97/DLG-1) concentrated in the postsynaptic density.
- Immunostaining reveals overlapping expression patterns of Sema4C and PSD-95 in superficial neocortical layers.
- Sema4C colocalizes with PSD-95 in neurons in a dot-like pattern along neurites in neocortical cultures.
Conclusions:
- Sema4C is localized to the postsynaptic density in the adult mouse brain.
- Sema4C interacts with PSD-95, a key component of the postsynaptic density.
- Sema4C may function as a bi-directional transmembrane ligand in cortical neurons through PSD-95 interaction.
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