We report a random disruption in the mouse genome that resulted in lethal paralysis in homozygous newborns. The disruption blocked expression of neurobeachin, a protein containing a BEACH (beige and Chediak-Higashi) domain implicated in synaptic vesicle trafficking and an AKAP (A-kinase anchor protein) domain linked to localization of cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity. nbea-null mice demonstrated a complete block of evoked synaptic transmission at neuromuscular junctions, whereas nerve conduction, synaptic structure, and spontaneous synaptic vesicle release were completely normal. These findings support an essential role for neurobeachin in evoked neurotransmitter release at neuromuscular junctions and suggest that it plays an important role in synaptic transmission.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4644-03.2004 | DOI Listing |
It is well known that activation of NMDA receptors can trigger long-term synaptic depression (LTD) and that a morphological correlate of this functional plasticity is spine retraction and elimination. Recent studies have led to the surprising conclusion that NMDA-induced spine shrinkage proceeds independently of ion flux and requires the initiation of protein synthesis, highlighting an unappreciated contribution of mRNA translation to non-ionotropic NMDAR signaling. Here we used NMDA-induced spine shrinkage in slices of mouse hippocampus as a readout to investigate this novel modality of synaptic transmission.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFluorescent reporters for glutamate release and postsynaptic Ca signaling are essential tools for quantifying synapse functional heterogeneity across neurons and circuits. However, leveraging these probes for neuroscience requires scalable experimental frameworks. Here, we devised a high-throughput approach to efficiently collect and analyze hundreds of optical recordings of glutaamate release activity at presynaptic boutons in cultured rat hippocampal neurons.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLive human brain tissues provide unique opportunities for understanding the physiology and pathophysiology of synaptic transmission. Investigations have been limited to anatomy, electrophysiology, and protein localization-while crucial parameters such as synaptic vesicle dynamics were not visualized. Here we utilize zap-and-freeze time-resolved electron microscopy to overcome this hurdle.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTauopathies, a group of neurodegenerative disorders, are characterized by the abnormal aggregation of tau proteins into neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), driving synaptic dysfunction, neuronal loss, and disease progression through tau aggregate propagation. Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) functionalized with - cysteine ( -GQDs) have shown promise in inhibiting tau aggregation and transmission π-π stacking and electrostatic interactions with tau proteins. However, the non-specific binding of GQDs to various proteins in the physiological environment, such as serum albumin, limits their clinical translation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Converging evidence from clinical neuroimaging and animal models has strongly implicated dysfunction of thalamocortical circuits in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Preclinical models of genetic risk for schizophrenia have shown reduced synaptic transmission from auditory thalamus to primary auditory cortex, which may represent a correlate of auditory disturbances such as hallucinations. Human neuroimaging studies, however, have found a generalized increase in resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) between whole thalamus and sensorimotor cortex in people with schizophrenia (PSZ).
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