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Updated: May 23, 2026

Preparation of Synaptic Plasma Membrane and Postsynaptic Density Proteins Using a Discontinuous Sucrose Gradient
Published on: September 3, 2014
EphBs: an integral link between synaptic function and synaptopathies
Sean I Sheffler-Collins1, Matthew B Dalva
1Department of Neuroscience and Farber Institute for Neurosciences, Thomas Jefferson University, 900 Walnut Street, Suite 462, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
Abstract:
The assembly and function of neuronal circuits rely on selective cell-cell interactions to control axon targeting, generate pre- and postsynaptic specialization and recruit neurotransmitter receptors. In neurons, EphB receptor tyrosine kinases mediate excitatory synaptogenesis early during development, and then later coordinate synaptic function by controlling synaptic glutamate receptor localization and function. EphBs direct synapse formation and function to regulate cellular morphology through downstream signaling mechanisms and by interacting with glutamate receptors. In humans, defective EphB-dependent regulation of NMDA receptor (NMDAR) localization and function is associated with neurological disorders, including neuropathic pain, anxiety disorders and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we propose that EphBs act as a central organizer of excitatory synapse formation and function, and as a key regulator of diseases linked to NMDAR dysfunction.
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