Synopses & Reviews
Synapses are bulbous structures where two neurons communicate. Neurotransmitter molecules released from the pre-synaptic terminal of one neuron diffuse to the post-synaptic terminal on the other, binding to receptors that lead to propagation or modulation of the signal.
Written and edited by experts in the field, this collection from Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology examines the highly complex structures of the pre- and post-synaptic regions, as well as the trafficking mechanisms that transport vesicles containing neurotransmitters. The contributors discuss how long-term potentiation (LTP) and depression (LTD) in signal transmission form the basis of learning and memory. The roles of calcium signaling in regulating synaptic and cell function, and techniques to study such signaling events, are also covered.
This volume also includes discussions of synaptic dysfunction in disorders such as autism and Alzheimer disease. It is an indispensable reference for neurobiologists, cell and developmental biologists, and anyone wishing to understand how the basic building blocks of the brain are put together and communicate.
Synopsis
Synapses are bulbous structures where two neurons communicate. Neurotransmitter molecules released from pre-synaptic terminal of one neuron diffuse to the postsynaptic terminal on the other, binding to receptors that cause propagation of the nerve impulse. The highly complex structures of the pre-and postsynaptic regions are beginning to be revealed at a molecular level, as are the trafficking mechanisms that transport vesicles containing neurotransmitters. Moreover, the role of long-term potentiation and depression of synaptic transmission as the basis of learning and memory is increasingly appreciated. Research in this area thus impacts our understanding of cell and developmental biology, neurobiology, and cognition.
Table of Contents
Contents
Preface
Ultrastructure of Synapses in the Mammalian Brain
Kristen M. Harris and Richard J. Weinberg
Synaptic Cell Adhesion
Markus Missler, Thomas C. S�dhof, and Thomas Biederer
Synaptic Vesicle Exocytosis
Thomas C. S�dhof and Josep Rizo
Calcium Control of Neurotransmitter Release
Thomas C. S�dhof
Synaptic Vesicle Endocytosis
Yasunori Saheki and Pietro De Camilli
Synaptic Vesicle Pools and Dynamics
AbdulRasheed A. Alabi and Richard W. Tsien
Short-Term Presynaptic Plasticity
Wade G. Regehr
Vesicular and Plasma Membrane Transporters for Neurotransmitters
Randy D. Blakely and Robert H. Edwards
The Postsynaptic Organization of Synapses
Morgan Sheng and Eunjoon Kim
Synaptic Neurotransmitter-Gated Receptors
Trevor G. Smart and Pierre Paoletti
Studying Signal Transduction in Single Dendritic Spines
Ryohei Yasuda
Calcium Signaling in Dendritic Spines
Michael J. Higley and Bernardo L. Sabatini
NMDA Receptor-Dependent Long-Term Potentiation and Long-Term Depresssion (LTP/LTD)
Christian L�scher and Robert C. Malenka
Presynaptic LTP and LTD of Excitatory and Inhibitory Synapses
Pablo E. Castillo
Homeostatic Synaptic Plasticity: Local And Global Mechanisms For Stabilizing Neuronal Function
Gina Turrigiano
Neuronal ActivityRegulated Gene Transcription in Synapse Development and Cognitive Function
Anne E. West and Michael E. Greenberg
Synapses and Memory Storage
Mark Mayford, Steven A. Siegelbaum, and Eric R. Kandel
Synaptic Dysfunction in Neurodevelopmental Disorders Associated with Autism and Intellectual Disabilities
Huda Y. Zoghbi and Mark F. Bear
Synapses and Alzheimer's Disease
Morgan Sheng, Bernardo Sabatini, and Thomas C. S�dhof
Index