Abstract
Postembedding immunogold labeling was used to determine the relationship between AMPA and NMDA receptor density and size of Schaffer collateral–commissural (SCC) synapses of the adult rat. All SCC synapses expressed NMDA receptors. AMPA and NMDA receptors were colocalized in at least 75% of SCC synapses; the ratio of AMPA to NMDA receptors was a linear function of postsynaptic density (PSD) diameter, with AMPA receptor number dropping to zero at a PSD diameter of ~180 nm. These findings indicate that 'silent' SCC synapses are smaller than the majority of SCC synapses at which AMPA and NMDA receptors are colocalized. Thus synapse size may determine important properties of SCC synapses.
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the Norwegian Research Council, Professor Letten F. Saugstad's Fund and EU Biomed grant PL 962118. A travel grant from Hjärnfonden, Erik & Edith Fernström's Fund and the Swedish Medical Research Council (to V.R.-L.) is gratefully acknowledged. Antibodies were provided by R. J. Wenthold. We thank R. J. Wenthold, R. Nicoll, Y. Ben-Ari, Johannes Helm and Ø. Hvalby for reading the manuscript.
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Takumi, Y., Ramírez-León, V., Laake, P. et al. Different modes of expression of AMPA and NMDA receptors in hippocampal synapses. Nat Neurosci 2, 618–624 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/10172
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/10172