The Synapse summarizes recent advances in cellular and molecular mechanisms of synaptic transmission and provides new insights into neuronal plasticity and the cellular basis of neurological diseases.
Part 1 provides an in-depth look at structural differences and distribution of various pre- and post-synaptic proteins found at glutamatergic synapses.
Part 2 is dedicated to dendritic spines and their associated perisynaptic glia, which together constitute the tripartite synapse. The spines are portrayed as major sites for calcium sequestration and local protein synthesis.
Part 3 highlights the important regional and cellular differences between glutamatergic transmission and that of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and acetylcholine that are commonly found in axon terminals without synaptic membrane specializations.
Part 4 provides an overview of the synapse from the time of formation to degeneration under the powerful influence of aging or hormonal decline that leads to severe deficits in cognitive function.
Each chapter is illustrated with drawings and images derived from calcium imaging, electron microscopic immunolabeling, or electrophysiology. This book is a valuable reference for neuroscientists and clinical neurologists in both research and clinical settings.

List of contributors xi

1. Structure and Complexity of the Synapse and Dendritic Spine Michael G. Stewart, Victor I. Popov, Igor V. Kraev, Nikolay Medvedev and Heather A. Davies 1

1. Introduction 1

      2.1. Synapses and Dendritic Spines 1

      2.2. Synapse: Spine Relationship 6

      2.3. Dendritic Spine Classifications 11

3. Conclusions 17

References 18

2.The Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Synaptic Transmission:A View of the Presynaptic Terminal Uri Ashery, Noa Bielopolski, Ayal Lavi, Boaz Barak, Lirin Michaeli, Yoav Ben-Simon,

Anton Sheinin, Dana Bar-On, Zehavit Shapira and Irit Gottfried 21

1. Introduction 21

      2.1. Synaptic Structure 26

      2.2. The Synaptic Vesicle Cycle 32

      2.3. A Glimpse into the Nanometric Molecular Organization of the Synapse 59

      2.4. Synchronous, A-Synchronous and Spontaneous Release: Physiological and Molecular

      Perspectives 62

      2.5. Molecular Aspects of Synaptic Plasticity 69

      2.6. Genetic Manipulations of Synaptic Proteins and Behavioral Consequences 79

3. Conclusions 82

Acknowledgments 82

References

3.The First Hour in the Life of a Synapse: Contact Formation,Partner Selection, and Onset of Function Juliette E. Cheyne and Christian Lohmann 111

1. Introduction 111

      2.1. Contact Formation 112

      2.2. Partner Selection 114

      2.3. Onset Of Function 117

3. Conclusions 122

References 123

4.Structural and Functional Organization of the Postsynaptic Density Chiara Verpelli, Christopher Heise and Carlo Sala 129

1. Introduction 129

      2.1. Excitatory Synapses: Postsynaptic Organization 130

      2.2. Synaptic Adhesion Molecules Gene Mutations 138

      2.3. Postsynaptic Scaffolds and their Relation to Neuropsychiatric Disorders 140

3. Conclusions 143

References 143

5.The Tripartite Synapse: A Role for Glial Cells in Modulating Synaptic Transmission Tamara Blutstein and Philip G. Haydon 155

1. Introduction 155

      2.1. Astrocyte Functions 155

      2.2. Ca2+ Signaling in Astrocytes 157

      2.3. Gliotransmission 159

      2.4. Astrocytic Modulation of Synaptic Transmission 162

3. Conclusions 168

References 168

6.Local Protein Synthesis at Synapses Oswald Steward, Joseph Dynes and Shannon Farris 173

1. Introduction 173

      2.1. SPRCs: Ultrastructure of the Machinery that Underlies Protein Synthesis at Synapses 174

      2.2. Protein Synthesis in Dendrites 177

      2.3. Posttranslational Processing within Dendrites 178

      2.4. Dendritic mRNAs 180

      2.5. Dendritic Transport of Ribosomes and mRNA 182

3. Conclusions 191

Acknowledgments 191

References 191

7.Estrogen Effects on Hippocampal Synapses Teresa A. Milner, Bruce S. McEwen and Elizabeth M. Waters 195

1. Introduction 195

      2.1. Hippocampal Synapses: Estrogen Effects and Receptors 196

      2.2. Postsynaptic Compartments 202

      2.3. Estrogen-Sensitive Receptors and Associated Signaling Molecules 205

      2.4. Changes in Aging 213

3. Conclusions 214

Acknowledgments 215

References 215

8.Trafficking of Glutamate Receptors and Associated Proteins in Synaptic

Plasticity Martin Horak, Gail K. Seabold and Ronald S. Petralia 221

1. Introduction 221

      2.1. Development 225

      2.2. Trafficking of Glutamate Receptors in Synaptic Plasticity 230

      2.3. Maguk Protein Complexes in Synaptic Plasticity 244

      2.4. Adhesion Proteins in Synaptic Plasticity 249

3. Conclusions 260

Acknowledgments 261

References 261

9.Structural Alterations of Synapses in Psychiatric and Neurodegenerative Disorders Peter Penzes, Christine Remmers, Michael E. Cahill, Kelly A. Jones, Jon-Eric VanLeeuwen and Kevin M. Woolfrey 281

1. Introduction 281

      2.1. Autism Spectrum Disorders 282

      2.2. Schizophrenia 285

      2.3. Alzheimer's Disease 289

3. Conclusions 292

Abbreviations 294

Acknowledgments 294

References 294

10.Synaptic Correlates of Aging and Cognitive Decline Yuko Hara and John H. Morrison 301

1. Introduction 301

      2.1. Methods Used for Quantitative Analyses of Structural and Immunocytochemical Data 303

      2.2. The Effects of Aging on the Prefrontal Cortex 308

      2.3. The Effects of Aging on the Hippocampus 313

      2.4. Location and Function of Glutamate Receptors in the Aging Brain 320

      2.5. Interactive Effects of Aging and Estrogen on Cortical Synapses 330

3. Conclusions 332

Acknowledgments 334

References 334

11. Activity-Induced Fine Structural Changes of Synapses in Mammalian

Central Nervous System Jung-Hwa Tao-Cheng 343

1. Introduction 343

      2.1. Activity-Dependent Changes at the PSD Of Excitatory Synapses in Dissociated

      Neuronal Cultures 346

      2.2. Activity-Induced Changes of Ampa Receptors at Excitatory Synapses 349

      2.3. Activity-Induced Changes at Presynaptic Terminals of Excitatory Synapses in Dissociated Neuronal Cultures 351

      2.4. Rapid Turnover of Synaptic Spinules in Organotypic Hippocampal Slice Cultures 355

      2.5. Inhibitory Synapses under Different Activity Conditions 355

      2.6. Studying Synapses with Different Experimental Model Systems 358

3. Conclusions 373

Acknowledgments 373

References 374

12.Activity-Mediated Structural Plasticity of Dendritic Spines Dominique Muller, Mathias De Roo and Irina Nikonenko 377

1. Introduction 377

      2.1. General Morphological Characteristics of Dendritic Spines 377

      2.2. Synapse Formation Through Filopodia 379

      2.3. Synapse Formation Through the Growth of New Spines 380

      2.4. Fast Motility of Dendritic Spines 381

      2.5. Activity-Mediated Spine Enlargement 382

      2.6. Molecular Mechanisms of Spine Enlargement and Stabilization 384

      2.7. Activity-Mediated Network Rewiring Through Spine Turnover 386

      2.8. Molecular Mechanisms Regulating Spine Dynamics 388

      2.9. Spine Alterations and Brain Disease 389

3. Conclusions 390

References 390

13.Experience-Dependent Synaptic Plasticity in the Developing Cerebral Cortex Chiye Aoki and Alev Erisir 397

1. Introduction 397

      2.1. De Nova Synaptogenesis 399

      2.2. Chemical Maturation of Glutamatergic Synapses 406

      2.3. Maturation of the GABAergic System and its Role in Developmental Plasticity of the

      Cerebral Cortex 406

      2.4. Role of Norepinephrine in Ocular Dominance Plasticity 425

3. Conclusions 435

Acknowledgments 436

References 436

14.Asynaptic and Synaptic Innervation by Acetylcholine Neurons of the

Central Nervous System Laurent Descarries and Martin Parent 447

1. Introduction 447

      2.1. Asynaptic and Synaptic ACh Innervations in CNS 449

      2.2. Cerebral Cortex 450

      2.3. Hippocampus 452

      2.4. Neostriatum 453

      2.5. Thalamus 455

      2.6. Other Brain Regions 456

      2.7. Spinal Cord 457

3. Conclusions 458

Acknowledgments 460

References 460

15.Prefrontal Cortical Dopamine Transmission: Ultrastructural Studies and

Their Functional Implications Susan R. Sesack 467

1. Introduction 467

      2.1. Cortical DA Labeling Methods, Cells of Origin, and Terminations 468

      2.2. Ultrastructural Features, Synaptic Incidence, and Targets of Cortical DA Axons 470

      2.3. DA Transporter Localization 475

      2.4. DA Receptors and Physiology 477

      2.5. Physiology 484

      2.6. Colocalization of DA and Glutamate 486

3. Conclusions 489

References 490

Index 503

中科院文献情报中心