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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 23, 2025

Analyzing Synaptic Modulation of Drosophila melanogaster Photoreceptors after Exposure to Prolonged Light

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Published on: February 10, 2017

Presynaptic development is controlled by the core active zone proteins CAST/ELKS.

Tamara Radulovic¹, Wei Dong², R Oliver Goral¹

¹Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.

The Journal of Physiology

|April 19, 2020

Summary

CAST/ELKS proteins promote presynaptic growth and suppress active zone expansion during development. Despite altering calcium channel levels, their absence does not impact synaptic transmission in the calyx of Held.

Keywords:

active zone calcium channel calyx of Held neuronal circuit synapse synapse formation

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Last Updated: Dec 23, 2025

Analyzing Synaptic Modulation of Drosophila melanogaster Photoreceptors after Exposure to Prolonged Light

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Published on: February 10, 2017

Presynapse Formation Assay Using Presynapse Organizer Beads and “Neuron Ball” Culture

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Published on: August 2, 2019

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Inhibitory Synapse Formation in a Co-culture Model Incorporating GABAergic Medium Spiny Neurons and HEK293 Cells Stably Expressing GABAA Receptors

Published on: November 14, 2014

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Molecular Biology
Developmental Biology

Background:

Presynaptic active zone (AZ) proteins, like CAST/ELKS, have complex roles in neuronal development.
Understanding CAST/ELKS function in vivo during early circuit maturation is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the roles of CAST/ELKS in glutamatergic synapse development and presynaptic function.
To analyze the impact of CAST/ELKS loss on the calyx of Held terminal during early circuit maturation.

Main Methods:

Utilized CAST knockout (KO) and ELKS conditional KO (CKO) mice.
Performed morphological analysis using confocal microscopy.
Assessed AZ ultrastructure and synaptic function via patch-clamp recordings.

Main Results:

CAST/ELKS deletion reduced calyx surface area and volume but increased AZ size.
Loss of CAST/ELKS decreased all presynaptic Ca_V 2 channel subtypes and their currents.
Synaptic transmission and plasticity remained unaffected despite these molecular changes.

Conclusions:

CAST/ELKS positively regulate presynaptic growth and suppress AZ expansion and Ca_V 2 channel levels during development.
CAST/ELKS are involved in regulating presynaptic morphology and Ca_V 2 channel subtypes.
Developmental compensation mechanisms preserve synaptic transmission in the absence of CAST/ELKS.