Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 16, 2026
09:07
Electroconvulsive Seizures in Rats and Fractionation of Their Hippocampi to Examine Seizure-induced Changes in Postsynaptic Density Proteins
Published on: August 15, 2017
12.7K
IRSp53 accumulates at the postsynaptic density under excitatory conditions
Ayse Dosemeci1, Amelia Burch1, Hannah Loo1
1Laboratory of Neurobiology, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America.
Plos One
|December 29, 2017
Summary
Insulin receptor substrate p53 (IRSp53) accumulates at the postsynaptic density (PSD) in neurons upon stimulation. This accumulation suggests a structural role for IRSp53 in organizing synaptic scaffolds and the actin cytoskeleton.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
- Synaptic Plasticity
Background:
- Insulin receptor substrate p53 (IRSp53) is a key protein found at the postsynaptic density (PSD).
- IRSp53 interacts with major PSD scaffolds like PSD-95 and Shanks, and also with F-actin.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the distribution and dynamics of IRSp53 at the PSD in cultured hippocampal neurons.
- To determine how neuronal excitation affects IRSp53 localization within the PSD.
Main Methods:
- Immuno-electron microscopy was employed to visualize IRSp53 distribution.
- Cultured hippocampal neurons were subjected to depolarization (high K+) and NMDA receptor activation.
Main Results:
- IRSp53 labeling was concentrated at the PSD under basal conditions.
- Neuronal depolarization with high K+ increased IRSp53 PSD intensity by 36%.
- NMDA receptor activation increased IRSp53 PSD intensity by 53%, with accumulation in the deeper PSD region (pallium).
Conclusions:
- IRSp53 accumulation in the deeper PSD pallium under stimulation suggests a role beyond effector function for membrane-bound GTPases.
- These findings indicate a potential structural role for IRSp53 in organizing Shank scaffolds and linking the PSD to the actin cytoskeleton.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Boundary Conditions for Current Density
1.4K
Current density becomes discontinuous across an interface of materials with different electrical conductivities. The normal component of the current density is continuous across the boundary.
1.4K
01:32Postsynaptic Potential (PSP)
5.8K
Postsynaptic potential (PSP) refers to a change in the electrical potential of a neuron when neurotransmitters released by presynaptic neurons bind to postsynaptic receptors. This potential can either be excitatory, leading to depolarization and ultimately action potential generation, or inhibitory, leading to hyperpolarization and suppression of the postsynaptic neuron.
There are two types of receptors: ionotropic and metabotropic.
The ionotropic receptor is the membrane protein that has an...
There are two types of receptors: ionotropic and metabotropic.
The ionotropic receptor is the membrane protein that has an...
5.8K
01:29Excitatory and Inhibitory Effects of Neurotransmitters
13.4K
When an action potential reaches the presynaptic axon terminal, it releases neurotransmitters from the neuron into the synaptic cleft at a chemical synapse. The released neurotransmitter can be excitatory or inhibitory. The critical criteria commonly used to determine whether a molecule is a neurotransmitter at a chemical synapse are the molecule's presence in the presynaptic neuron. Second, its release is in response to strong presynaptic depolarization. And lastly, the presence of...
13.4K
00:56Density
20.0K
Density is an important characteristic of substances, crucial in determining whether an object sinks or floats in a fluid. Its SI unit is kg/m3, and its cgs unit is g/cm3. The density of an object helps in identifying its composition, and also reveals information about the phase of the matter and its substructure. The densities of liquids and solids are roughly comparable, consistent with the fact that their atoms are in close contact. However, gases have much lower densities than liquids and...
20.0K
01:21Current Density
5.2K
The total amount of current flowing through one unit value of a cross-sectional area is referred to as current density. If the current flow is uniform, the amount of current flowing through a conductor is the same at all points along the conductor, even if the conductor area varies. The current density consists of the local magnitude and direction of the charge flow, which varies from point to point. Current density is measured in amperes per meter square, and direction is defined as the net...
5.2K
01:20Strain-Energy Density
947
Understanding the strain energy density in materials under axial load is crucial for evaluating their mechanical behavior and durability. When a rod is subjected to such a load, it elongates and stores energy, known as strain energy, as potential energy within the material. This energy is measured in terms of energy per unit volume.
In the elastic region of a material, the relationship between the stress and the strain is linear and follows Hooke's Law. The strain energy density in this region...
In the elastic region of a material, the relationship between the stress and the strain is linear and follows Hooke's Law. The strain energy density in this region...
947