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Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Preparation of Synaptic Plasma Membrane and Postsynaptic Density Proteins Using a Discontinuous Sucrose Gradient
Published on: September 3, 2014
Molecular organization and assembly of the postsynaptic density of excitatory brain synapses
1National Creative Research Initiative Center for Synaptogenesis and Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon. kime@kaist.ac.kr
Abstract:
The postsynaptic density (PSD) is a postsynaptic membrane specialization at excitatory synapses. The PSD is made of macromolecular multiprotein complexes, which contain a variety of synaptic proteins including membrane, scaffolding, and signaling proteins. By coaggregating with postsynaptic cell adhesion molecules, PSD proteins promote the formation and maturation of excitatory synapses. PSD proteins organize signaling pathways to coordinate structural and functional changes in synapses, and they regulate trafficking and recycling of glutamate receptors, which determines synaptic strength and plasticity. Synaptic activity dynamically regulates the assembly of the PSD through mechanisms including protein phosphorylation, palmitoylation, and protein degradation. PSD proteins associate with diverse motor proteins, suggesting that they function as adaptors linking motors to their specific cargoes.
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