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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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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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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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Fusion of Secretory Vesicles with the Plasma Membrane01:26

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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.
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Electrical Synapses01:28

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Electrical synapses found in all nervous systems play important and unique roles. In these synapses, the presynaptic and postsynaptic membranes are very close together (3.5 nm) and are actually physically connected by channel proteins forming gap junctions.
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Long-term Potentiation01:25

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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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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 26, 2025

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Phase Separation-Mediated Compartmentalization Underlies Synapse Formation and Plasticity.

Xiandeng Wu1,2, Zeyu Shen1,2, Mingjie Zhang1

  • 1School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China;

Annual Review of Neuroscience
|February 21, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Synapses use phase separation to form distinct compartments, organizing proteins for precise neurotransmission and neuronal signaling. This process is crucial for synapse formation and plasticity.

Keywords:
active zonemembraneless organellephase separationpostsynaptic densitysynapse formationsynaptic plasticity

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Synapses are polarized and compartmentalized, with specialized machinery for neurotransmitter release and reception.
  • Clustered organization of receptors and signaling enzymes amplifies neuronal signals.
  • Synaptic adhesion molecules align pre- and postsynaptic structures.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review how phase separation drives the formation of subsynaptic compartments.
  • To discuss the function of these compartments in synapse formation and plasticity.
  • To explore the communication between distinct condensates at the synapse.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent studies on phase separation in synaptic organization.
  • Analysis of protein behavior in condensed phases versus dilute solutions.

Main Results:

  • Phase separation enables the formation of multiple, distinct protein condensates on both sides of the synapse.
  • These condensates are essential for precise control of neurotransmitter release and signal reception.
  • Proteins exhibit altered properties within these condensed subsynaptic compartments.

Conclusions:

  • Phase separation is a key mechanism for creating functional compartments at the synapse.
  • Subsynaptic condensates play critical roles in synaptic formation, stability, and plasticity.
  • Understanding phase separation offers insights into neuronal signaling and function.