This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Qian Cai Articles by Sheng, Z.-H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Qian Cai, Articles by Sheng, Z.-H. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Molecular Motors and Synaptic Assembly

Synaptic Function Section, The Porter Neuroscience Research Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland

Zu-Hang Sheng

Synaptic Function Section, The Porter Neuroscience Research Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, shengz{at}ninds.nih.gov

Proper synaptic function requires the seamless integration of the transport, assembly, and regulation of synaptic components and structures. Inasmuch as the synapse is often distant from the neuronal cell body, newly synthesized synaptic proteins, the precursors of synaptic vesicles, active zone compartments, channels and receptors, and mitochondria, must be transported along lengthy neuronal processes to participate in synaptogenesis. Neuronal transport is mediated by motor proteins that associate with their cargoes via adaptors (or receptors) and that travel along the cytoskeleton network within the neuronal processes. Thus, the identity of membranous protein cargoes and the specificity of motor-cargo interactions are critical for correctly targeting cargoes and properly assembling synapses in developing neurons and in remodeling synapses of mature neurons in response to neuronal activity. In this article, the authors review recent progress in characterizing microtubule- and actin-based motor proteins that are involved in delivering synaptic components and discuss potential mechanisms underlying the formation of motor-receptor-cargo complexes that contribute to synaptogenesis and activity-induced synaptic plasticity.

Key Words: synaptogenesis • synaptic plasticity • kinesin • myosin • motor adaptor • axonal transport

The Neuroscientist, Vol. 15, No. 1, 78-89 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1073858408329511


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?