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Related Concept Videos

Postsynaptic Potential (PSP)01:32

Postsynaptic Potential (PSP)

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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...
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Chemical Synapses01:26

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Chemical synapses are specialized sites between two neurons or between a neuron and a non-neuronal cell like a muscle, glandular or sensory cell.
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
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Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

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Chemical synapses are specialized sites between two neurons or between a neuron and a non-neuronal cell like a muscle, glandular or sensory cell.
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
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Integration of Synaptic Events01:28

Integration of Synaptic Events

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Synaptic integration mainly includes the summation of graded potentials. Graded potentials, regardless of their type, cause subtle alterations in membrane voltage, resulting in either depolarization or hyperpolarization. These incremental changes, when combined or summed, can propel the neuron toward its threshold. Consider, for example, a membrane experiencing a +15 mV shift, causing it to depolarize from -70 mV to -55 mV. In this scenario, graded potentials govern the membrane's ability to...
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Synaptic Signaling01:09

Synaptic Signaling

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Neurons communicate at synapses, or junctions, to excite or inhibit the activity of other neurons or target cells, such as muscles. Synapses may be chemical or electrical.
Most synapses are chemical, meaning an electrical impulse or action potential spurs the release of chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. The neuron sending the signal is called the presynaptic neuron, and the neuron receiving the signal is the postsynaptic neuron.
The presynaptic neuron fires an action potential that...
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Synaptic Signaling01:12

Synaptic Signaling

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Neurons communicate at synapses, or junctions, to excite or inhibit the activity of other neurons or target cells, such as muscles. Synapses may be chemical or electrical.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 17, 2025

Preparation of Synaptic Plasma Membrane and Postsynaptic Density Proteins Using a Discontinuous Sucrose Gradient
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SynGAP isoforms differentially regulate synaptic plasticity and dendritic development.

Yoichi Araki1, Ingie Hong1, Timothy R Gamache1

  • 1Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Baltimore, United States.

Elife
|June 25, 2020
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

SynGAP protein isoforms have unique functions in brain development. SynGAP-α1 is crucial for synaptic plasticity, while SynGAP-β promotes neuronal growth, suggesting isoform-specific roles in cognitive disorders.

Keywords:
dendritic developmentliquid-liquid phase separationmouseneurosciencesynaptic gtpase activating proteinsynaptic plasticity

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Preparation of Synaptic Plasma Membrane and Postsynaptic Density Proteins Using a Discontinuous Sucrose Gradient
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Inhibitory Synapse Formation in a Co-culture Model Incorporating GABAergic Medium Spiny Neurons and HEK293 Cells Stably Expressing GABAA Receptors

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • SynGAP (Ras GTPase-activating protein) has four C-terminal splice variants (α1, α2, β, γ).
  • The SYNGAP1 gene is linked to cognitive disorders, but the specific roles of its isoforms are unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the distinct spatiotemporal expression and functional roles of SynGAP isoforms in neuronal and synaptic development.
  • To determine how SynGAP isoform properties contribute to SYNGAP1-related cognitive disorders.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of SynGAP isoform expression patterns in mouse neurons.
  • Investigating SynGAP isoform interactions with PSD-95 using biochemical assays.
  • Assessing the impact of SynGAP isoform mutations on synaptic plasticity and dendritic development.

Main Results:

  • SynGAP isoforms display unique expression patterns and functional roles.
  • SynGAP-α1 is synapse-enriched, interacts with PSD-95, and is essential for long-term potentiation (LTP).
  • SynGAP-β is less synaptically targeted and promotes dendritic arborization.

Conclusions:

  • Distinct biochemical properties of SynGAP isoforms dictate their specific functions in neuronal development.
  • Isoform-specific functions and dysfunctions are likely key contributors to the pathogenesis of SYNGAP1-related cognitive disorders.