Genetic Analysis of Synapse Formation.

NRP1 and synapse formation

Perception and behavior are critically dependent on synaptic communication between specific neuronal types. Understanding how neurons achieve such a “synaptic specificity” is therefore one of the most fundamental issues in developmental neuroscience. The final lock between the preand post-synaptic elements is the culmination of a multiple-step program that includes cell migration, cell differen...

Building a synapse: genetic analysis of glutamatergic neurotransmission.

Ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) are a critical component of the vertebrate central nervous system and mediate the majority of rapid excitatory neurotransmission. However, iGluRs are not self-regulating molecules and require additional proteins in order to function properly. Understanding the molecular architecture of functional glutamatergic synapses is therefore an important challenge ...

Synapse formation in retinoblastoma tumours.

Developing photoreceptor-like cells in retinoblastoma tumour fleurettes were found to contain apical tight junctions, mitochondrial-filled inner segment regions with cilia, and basally located synaptic ribbons and vesicles. Synaptic contract appeared to be established with adjacent neuronal-like elements. We suggest that photoreceptor differentiation in retinoblastoma tumours follows a sequence...

Genetic Analysis of the Mechanisms Controlling Target Selection: Target-Derived Fasciclin II Regulates the Pattern of Synapse Formation

In Drosophila, motoneuron growth cones initially probe many potential muscle targets but later withdraw most of these contacts to form stereotypic synapses with only one or a few muscles. Prior to synapse formation, Fasciclin II (Fas II) is expressed at low levels on muscle. During synapse formation, Fas II concentrates at the synapse and disappears from the rest of the muscle. We previously sh...

Synapse formation in retinoblastoma tumours