The view of how astrocytes, a type of glial cells, contribute to the functioning of the central nervous system (CNS) has changed greatly in the last decade. Although glial cells outnumber neurons in the mammalian brain, it was considered for over a century that they played a subservient role to neurons. This view changed. Functions thought to be exclusively present in neurons, i.e. excitability...

Abstract The synthesis of polymer-vesicle latex particles by using extruded vesicles dimethyldioctadecyl ammonium bromide (DODAB) via an atom transfer radical polymerization–based approach is reported. Cryo-TEM characterization revealed the growth polymer from one side vesicle, and final morphology resulting was affected monomer feed composition. Protrusions or nanocapsules were synthesized whe...

Before transmitter-filled synaptic vesicles can fuse with the plasma membrane upon stimulation they have to be primed to fusion competence. The regulation of this priming process controls the strength and plasticity of synaptic transmission between neurons, which in turn determines many complex brain functions. We show that CAPS-1 and CAPS-2 are essential components of the synaptic vesicle prim...

Synapses are important functional units that determine how information flows through the brain. Understanding their biophysical properties and the molecules that underpin them is an important goal of cellular neuroscience. Thus, it is of interest to develop protocols that allow easy measurement of synaptic parameters in model systems that permit molecular manipulations. Here, we used a sensitiv...

We identify a complex of three proteins in brain that has the potential to couple synaptic vesicle exocytosis to neuronal cell adhesion. The three proteins are: (1) CASK, a protein related to MAGUKs (membrane-associated guanylate kinases); (2) Mint1, a putative vesicular trafficking protein; and (3) Veli1, -2, and -3, vertebrate homologs of C. elegans LIN-7. CASK, Mint1, and Velis form a tight,...

The rapid, activity-dependent quantal presynaptic release of neurotransmitter is vital for brain function. The complex process of vesicle priming, fusion, and retrieval is very precisely controlled and requires the spatiotemporal coordination of multiple protein-protein interactions. Here, we show that posttranslational modification of the active zone protein Rab3-interacting molecule 1α (RIM1α...

Profilins are thought to be essential for regulation of actin assembly. However, the functions of profilins in mammalian tissues are not well understood. In mice profilin I is expressed ubiquitously while profilin II is expressed at high levels only in brain. In extracts from mouse brain, profilin I and profilin II can form complexes with regulators of endocytosis, synaptic vesicle recycling an...

Autonomic and peripheral neuropathies are well-described complications in diabetes. Diabetes mellitus is also associated to central nervous system damage. This little-known complication is characterized by impairment of brain functions and electrophysiological changes associated with neurochemical and structural abnormalities. The purpose of this study was to investigate brain structural and ul...

We have identified the rat homologue (rvps45) of the yeast vps45 protein, a member of the Sec1 family of proteins involved in intracellular vesicle trafficking. Sequence analysis of the full-length rvps45 cDNA obtained from a rat brain library predicts a protein of 570 amino acids which shares 36% identity with the yeast vps45 protein. The sequence shows less homology with other mammalian Sec1 ...

The existence of neuron-specific endocytic protein isoforms raises questions about their importance for specialized neuronal functions. Dynamin, a GTPase implicated in the fission reaction of endocytosis, is encoded by three genes, two of which, dynamin 1 and 3, are highly expressed in neurons. We show that dynamin 3, thought to play a predominantly postsynaptic role, has a major presynaptic fu...