Protein scaffolds in the coupling of synaptic exocytosis and endocytosis

✍ Scribed by Haucke, Volker; Neher, Erwin; Sigrist, Stephan J.

• Book ID: 109963176
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• Year: 2011
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 642 KB
• Volume: 12
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1471-0048
• DOI: 10.1038/nrn2948

✦ Synopsis

Mechanisms that ensure robust long-term performance of synaptic transmission over a wide range of activity are crucial for the integrity of neuronal networks, for processing sensory information and for the ability to learn and store memories. Recent experiments have revealed that such robust performance requires a tight coupling between exocytic vesicle fusion at defined release sites and endocytic retrieval of synaptic vesicle membranes. Distinct presynaptic scaffolding proteins are essential for fulfilling this requirement, providing either ultrastructural coordination or acting as signalling hubs.
Active zone
(Often abbreviated to AZ.) An area in the presynaptic compartment that is specialized for rapid exocytosis and contains multidomain proteins acting as scaffolds in the organization of release sites.
Periactive zone
An array of endocytic proteins that surround the active zone and into which synaptic vesicle membranes are recycled following exocytosis.
REVIEWS
nATuRE REvIEwS | NeuroscieNce voluME 12 | MARCH 2011 | 127