Abstract

Many cellular functions require the synthesis of a specific protein or functional cohort of proteins at a specific time and place in the cell. Local protein synthesis in neuronal dendrites is essential for understanding how neural activity patterns are transduced into persistent changes in synaptic connectivity during cortical development, memory storage and other long-term adaptive brain responses. Regional and temporal changes in protein levels are commonly coordinated by an asymmetric distribution of mRNAs. This Review attempts to integrate current knowledge of dendritic mRNA transport, storage and translation, placing particular emphasis on the coordination of regulation and function during activity-dependent synaptic plasticity in the adult mammalian brain.

Author affiliations

1. Department of Biomedicine and Bergen Mental Health Research Center, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 91, N-5009 Bergen, Norway.
2. Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, 219 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8103, USA.

Correspondence to: Clive R. Bramham¹ Email: clive.bramham@biomed.uib.no

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