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Molecular heterogeneity of central synapses: afferent and target regulation

Nature Neuroscience volume 4, pages 569–578 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

Electrophysiological recordings show a functional spectrum even within a single class of synapse, with individual synapses ranging widely in fundamental properties, including release probability, unitary response and effects of previous stimulation on subsequent response. Molecular and cellular biological approaches have shown a corresponding diversity in the complement of ion channels, receptors, scaffolds and signal transducing proteins that make up individual synapses. Indeed, we believe that each individual synapse is unique, a function of presynaptic cell type, postsynaptic cell type, environment, developmental stage and history of activity. We review here the molecular diversity of glutamatergic and GABAergic synapses in the mammalian brain in the context of potential cell biological mechanisms that may explain how individual cells develop and maintain such a mosaic of synaptic connections.

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Figure 1: Cellular mechanisms for the generation of synaptic heterogeneity.
Figure 2: Molecular components of glutamate synapses and GABA synapses.
Figure 3: Mechanisms of postsynaptic protein targeting and potential sites of afferent-specific influence (*).
Figure 4: Selective localization of mGluR7a receptors to presynaptic sites formed onto GABAergic interneurons.
Figure 5: Model for the trafficking of glutamate AMPA receptors at postsynaptic sites.

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Acknowledgements

We thank A. Rao, K. Tovar and R. Wong for comments. Research in the authors' laboratory is supported by NIH grants NS33184, NS39286, NS34448 and the Pew Charitable Trust.

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  1. Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid, Campus Box 8108, 958 McDonnell Sciences Building, St. Louis, 63110, Missouri, USA

    Ann Marie Craig & Hélène Boudin

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Correspondence to Ann Marie Craig.

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Craig, A., Boudin, H. Molecular heterogeneity of central synapses: afferent and target regulation. Nat Neurosci 4, 569–578 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/88388

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