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Related Concept Videos

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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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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Integration of Synaptic Events01:28

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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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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.
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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.
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The Synapse02:47

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Neurons communicate with one another by passing on their electrical signals to other neurons. A synapse is the location where two neurons meet to exchange signals. At the synapse, the neuron that sends the signal is called the presynaptic cell, while the neuron that receives the message is called the postsynaptic cell. Note that most neurons can be both presynaptic and postsynaptic, as they both transmit and receive information.
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Synaptic recognition molecules in development and disease.

Dhrubajyoti Chowdhury1, Katherine Watters2, Thomas Biederer1

  • 1Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.

Current Topics in Developmental Biology
|March 12, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Recognition molecules guide precise neural connections in the brain. These factors control synapse formation, ensuring correct wiring and function, with implications for neurological disorders.

Keywords:
CadherinsImmunoglobulin proteinsLeucine-rich repeat proteinsNeuronal connectivitySemaphorinsSynapseSynapse eliminationSynapse specificationSynaptic adhesionSynaptic recognition

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Area of Science:

  • Cellular Neuroscience
  • Neurobiology
  • Molecular Neuroscience

Background:

  • Synaptic connectivity is fundamental to brain function.
  • Understanding how neurons select synaptic partners is a key challenge in neuroscience.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To delineate molecular mechanisms of synaptic partner recognition in the vertebrate brain.
  • To explore the developmental roles of recognition molecules in synapse formation and elimination.

Main Methods:

  • Review of adhesion and signaling complexes, and secreted factors involved in synaptic recognition.
  • Analysis of key protein families including Cadherins, Immunoglobulin superfamily, Semaphorins/Plexins, LRR proteins, and Neurexins.
  • Discussion of methodological innovations like proteomics and single-cell expression studies.

Main Results:

  • Recognition molecules guide initial wiring, reject incorrect partners, specify synapses, and remove inappropriate connections.
  • Neuron-type specific expression, combinatorial action, alternative splicing, and post-translational modifications diversify recognition systems.
  • Laminated brain structures like the hippocampus and retina are valuable models for studying synaptic recognition.

Conclusions:

  • Aberrant synaptic recognition is implicated in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders.
  • Further research on recognition molecules is crucial for understanding synaptic precision and diversity.
  • Advances in methodology are enhancing our ability to study synaptic recognition.