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Related Concept Videos

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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Long-term Potentiation01:35

Long-term Potentiation

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Long-term potentiation, or LTP, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTP is the process of synaptic strengthening that occurs over time between pre- and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic strengthening of LTP works in opposition to the synaptic weakening of long-term depression (LTD) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
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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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Assembly of Complex Microtubule Structures01:32

Assembly of Complex Microtubule Structures

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Complex microtubule structures are present in resting cells and in dividing cells. In resting cells, they are responsible for maintaining the cellular architecture, tracks for intracellular transport, positioning of organelles, assembly of cilia and flagella. They mediate the bipolar spindle assembly for chromosomal segregation and positioning of the cell division plate in dividing cells. The formation of microtubule complex structures depends on the cell type, cell stage, and cell function.
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Fusion of Secretory Vesicles with the Plasma Membrane01:26

Fusion of Secretory Vesicles with the Plasma Membrane

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Proteins and neurotransmitters in secretory vesicles can be released from a cell upon vesicle docking, priming, and fusion with the plasma membrane. Vesicles are docked and primed in preparation for the quick exocytosis of their contents in response to a stimulus. The fusion process is mainly carried out by a SNAP Receptor or SNARE complex, consisting of synaptobrevin, syntaxin-1, and SNAP-25.
In 1993, Jim Rothman proposed that the antiparallel pairing of vesicular and transmembrane SNAREs, or...
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Long-term Depression01:03

Long-term Depression

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Long-term depression, or LTD, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTD is the process of synaptic weakening that occurs over time between pre and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic weakening of LTD works in opposition to synaptic strengthening by long-term potentiation (LTP) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 31, 2025

Preparation of Synaptoneurosomes from Mouse Cortex using a Discontinuous Percoll-Sucrose Density Gradient
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Activity-Dependent Synapse Refinement: From Mechanisms to Molecules.

Sivapratha Nagappan-Chettiar1, Timothy J Burbridge1, Hisashi Umemori1

  • 1Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

The Neuroscientist : a Review Journal Bringing Neurobiology, Neurology and Psychiatry
|May 4, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Synapse refinement, crucial for nervous system development, involves activity-dependent competition eliminating weak neuronal connections. Understanding how neuronal activity drives this process offers therapeutic potential for brain disorders.

Keywords:
activity-dependent competitionelimination signalevoked activityneuronal activityprotection signalpunishment signalretinal wavesspontaneous activitysynapse development

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology
  • Cellular Signaling

Background:

  • Synapse refinement is essential for mature nervous system function.
  • Neuronal activity drives synapse elimination and stabilization.
  • Mechanisms converting neuronal activity into molecular signals are under investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review how spontaneous and evoked neuronal activity guide synapse refinement.
  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of activity-dependent synapse refinement.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent literature on neuronal activity and synapse refinement.
  • Analysis of molecular pathways involved in synapse elimination and stabilization.

Main Results:

  • Spontaneous and evoked neuronal activity instruct competition between synaptic inputs.
  • Neuronal activity is transduced into molecular cues regulating synapse refinement.
  • Specific molecular mechanisms underlying synapse elimination and stabilization are being uncovered.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding synapse refinement mechanisms is key to nervous system development.
  • Knowledge of these processes may yield new treatments for neuropsychiatric diseases with synaptic dysfunction.