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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 15, 2026

Quantifying Synapses: an Immunocytochemistry-based Assay to Quantify Synapse Number

Quantifying Synapses: an Immunocytochemistry-based Assay to Quantify Synapse Number

Published on: November 16, 2010

Creating diverse synapses from the same molecules.

Zoltan Nusser¹

¹Laboratory of Cellular Neurophysiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szigony Street 43, 1083 Budapest, Hungary.

Current Opinion in Neurobiology

|January 22, 2018

Summary

Synaptic diversity in the central nervous system (CNS) arises not just from different molecules, but also from varying numbers, densities, and nanoscale arrangements of the same synaptic components. This explains functional heterogeneity even with identical molecular building blocks.

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Last Updated: Feb 15, 2026

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cell Biology
Molecular Biology

Background:

Chemical synapses in the CNS exhibit significant structural, functional, and molecular diversity.
This diversity is often attributed to distinct molecular compositions of pre- and post-synaptic cells.
Heterogeneity also exists within synapses formed by single cells or onto single cells.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the mechanisms underlying synaptic heterogeneity.
To propose that variations in molecular quantity and arrangement contribute significantly to functional diversity.
To review recent experimental evidence supporting this hypothesis.

Main Methods:

Review of recent experimental studies on CNS synapses.
Analysis of synapse structure, function, and molecular composition.
Focus on nanoscale organization of synaptic molecules.

Main Results:

Synapses formed by the same presynaptic cell onto different postsynaptic cells show diversity.
Different presynaptic inputs onto a single postsynaptic cell also display heterogeneity.
Functional diversity can be achieved using identical molecules in varying numbers, densities, and nanoscale arrangements.

Conclusions:

The number, density, and nanoscale arrangement of synaptic molecules are critical determinants of functional diversity.
Robust functional heterogeneity can be generated from conserved molecular components.
This provides a framework for understanding synaptic variability in the central nervous system.