A role for zinc in postsynaptic density asSAMbly and plasticity?
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Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Use of Synaptic Zinc Histochemistry to Reveal Different Regions and Laminae in the Developing and Adult Brain
Published on: October 29, 2017
Eckart D Gundelfinger1, Tobias M Boeckers, Marisa K Baron
1Department of Neurochemistry and Molecular Biology, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestrasse 6, 39118 Magdeburg, Germany. gundelfinger@ifn-magdeburg.de
Abstract:
Chemical synapses are asymmetric cell junctions that mediate communication between neurons. Multidomain scaffolding proteins of the Shank family act as major organizing elements of the "postsynaptic density"--that is, the cytoskeletal protein matrix associated with the postsynaptic membrane. A recent study has shown that the C-terminal sterile alpha-motif or "SAM domain" of Shank3 (also known as ProSAP2) can form two-dimensional sheets of helical fibers. Assembly and packaging of these fibers are markedly enhanced by the presence of Zn2+ ions. Zn2+ can be released together with glutamate from synaptic vesicles and can enter the postsynaptic cell through specific ionotropic receptors. Based on these observations, we propose a new model of synaptic plasticity in which Zn2+ influx directly and instantly modulates the structure and function of the postsynaptic density.
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