Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 16, 2026
07:00
Excitotoxic Stimulation of Brain Microslices as an In vitro Model of Stroke
Published on: February 4, 2014
9.0K
Phosphorylation Signals in Striatal Medium Spiny Neurons
Taku Nagai1, Junichiro Yoshimoto2, Takayuki Kannon3
1Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Hospital Pharmacy, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan.
Trends in Pharmacological Sciences
|August 23, 2016
Summary
Dopamine signaling influences emotional behaviors via medium spiny neurons (MSNs). The Rap1 pathway is crucial for MSN excitability, impacting emotional expression and memory.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Dopamine signaling significantly impacts brain emotional behaviors.
- Medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the striatum are key mediators of dopamine signaling via D1 and D2 receptors.
- cAMP/protein kinase A (PKA) pathway regulates downstream phosphorylation of D1 receptors, influencing MSN excitability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of the Rap1 pathway in MSN excitability.
- To elucidate the physiological and pathophysiological functions of dopamine signaling.
Main Methods:
- Phosphoproteomic approaches.
- Utilizing the curated KANPHOS database.
Main Results:
- Emerging evidence highlights the critical role of the Rap1 pathway in MSN excitability.
- This pathway is essential for the expression of emotional behaviors.
Conclusions:
- The Rap1 pathway is a key regulator of MSN excitability and emotional behaviors.
- Phosphoproteomic techniques combined with databases like KANPHOS offer insights into monoamine signaling.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Amplifying Signals via Enzymatic Cascade
19.0K
When a ligand binds to a cell-surface receptor, the receptor's intracellular domain changes shape, which may either activate its enzyme function or allow its binding to other molecules. The initial signal is amplified by most signal transduction pathways. This means that a single ligand molecule can activate multiple molecules of a downstream target. Proteins that relay a signal are most commonly phosphorylated at one or more sites, activating or inactivating the protein. Kinases catalyze...
19.0K
02:54Protein Kinases and Phosphatases
15.4K
Proteins undergo chemical modifications that trigger changes in the charge, structure, and conformation of the proteins. Phosphorylation, acetylation, glycosylation, nitrosylation, ubiquitination, lipidation, methylation, and proteolysis are various protein modifications that regulate protein activity. Such modifications are usually enzyme-driven.
Protein kinases
Many proteins in the cell are regulated by phosphorylation, the addition of a phosphate group. A family of enzymes called kinases...
Protein kinases
Many proteins in the cell are regulated by phosphorylation, the addition of a phosphate group. A family of enzymes called kinases...
15.4K
01:02Phosphorylation
55.3K
The addition or removal of phosphate groups from proteins is the most common chemical modification that regulates cellular processes. These modifications can affect the structure, activity, stability, and localization of proteins within cells as well as their interactions with other proteins.
During phosphorylation, protein kinases transfer the terminal phosphate group of ATP to specific amino acid side chains of substrate proteins. Serine, threonine, and tyrosine are the most commonly...
During phosphorylation, protein kinases transfer the terminal phosphate group of ATP to specific amino acid side chains of substrate proteins. Serine, threonine, and tyrosine are the most commonly...
55.3K
01:02Phosphorylation
7.8K
7.8K
01:16Calmodulin-dependent Signaling
6.9K
Calmodulin (CaM) is a calcium-binding protein in eukaryotes that controls various calcium-regulated cellular processes. It has four calcium-binding sites that bind calcium to form the calcium-calmodulin ( Ca2+-CaM) complex. GPCR stimulation increases the calcium levels in the cells that bind to CaM and induces a conformational change.
The Ca2+-CaM complex does not have enzymatic activity by itself. Instead, the complex binds downstream target proteins, including membrane proteins or enzymes,...
The Ca2+-CaM complex does not have enzymatic activity by itself. Instead, the complex binds downstream target proteins, including membrane proteins or enzymes,...
6.9K
01:15Amplifying Signals via Second Messengers
9.3K
Many receptor binding ligands are hydrophilic; they do not cross the cell membrane but bind to cell-surface receptors. Thus, their message must be relayed by second messengers present in the cell cytoplasm. There are several second messenger pathways, each with its own way of relaying information. For example, the G protein-coupled receptors can activate both phosphoinositol and cyclic AMP (cAMP) second messenger pathways. The phosphoinositol pathway is active when the receptor induces...
9.3K