Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2025

Microtransplantation of Synaptic Membranes to Reactivate Human Synaptic Receptors for Functional Studies
Published on: July 20, 2022
Synaptoneurolipidomics: lipidomics in the study of synaptic function
Robert Ahrends1, Shane R Ellis2, Steven H L Verhelst3
1Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Abstract:
The brain is an exceptionally lipid-rich organ with a very complex lipid composition. Lipids are central in several neuronal processes, including membrane formation and fusion, myelin packing, and lipid-mediated signal transmission. Lipid diversity is associated with the evolution of higher cognitive abilities in primates, is affected by neuronal activity, and is instrumental for synaptic plasticity, illustrating that lipids are not static components of synaptic membranes. Several lines of evidence suggest that the lipid composition of synapses is unique and distinct from other neuronal subcompartments. Here, we delve into the nascent field of synaptoneurolipidomics, offering an overview of current knowledge on the lipid composition of synaptic junctions and technological advances that will allow us to study the impact on synaptic function.
Related Concept Videos
The Synapse
Synaptic Signaling
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...
Fusion of Secretory Vesicles with the Plasma Membrane
In 1993, Jim Rothman proposed that the antiparallel pairing of vesicular and transmembrane SNAREs, or...
Postsynaptic Potential (PSP)
There are two types of receptors: ionotropic and metabotropic.
The ionotropic receptor is the membrane protein that has an...
Chemical Synapses
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...

