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Updated: Feb 4, 2026

Quantifying Synapses: an Immunocytochemistry-based Assay to Quantify Synapse Number
Published on: November 16, 2010
Molecular mechanisms that change synapse number
Alicia Mansilla1, Sheila Jordán-Álvarez1, Elena Santana1
1a Institute Cajal C.S.I.C , Madrid , Spain.
Abstract:
Synapses are the functional units of the nervous system, and their number and protein composition undergo changes over a wide time scale. These synaptic changes manifest into differential behavioural outputs and, in turn, changes in the external conditions to the individual may elicit changes in synapses. We review here publications appeared during the last 10 years in which advances on molecular and cellular mechanisms for synapse changes have been reported. We focus on synaptic changes occurring in the time range of minutes to hours, mainly.
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