| Abstract No.: | 104 |
| Country: | Canada |
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| Title: | The Involvement of Calcium Binding Proteins in Synapse Formation |
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| Authors/Affiliations: | Zhong-Ping Feng;
University of Toronto, Department of Physiology, ON, Canada |
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| Content: | Synapses are highly specialized structures required for neuronal network activity. A synapse forms typically during development or following neuroregeneration. Abnormal development of synapses results in aberrant neuronal connections seen in neurodegenerative and mental disorders. Our understanding of mechanisms underlying formation of functional synapses largely relies on the availability of synapse models in which synaptic transmission can be detected presynaptically and postsynaptically during the course of synapse formation. One of the major challenges in such studies is that the presynaptic terminals are small in most synapses; thus, direct electrophysiological recordings at the presynaptic sites are often difficult. We have used an in vitro soma-soma synapse formed between neurons of snail Lymnaea to study the molecular mechanisms underlying establishment of synaptic connections between adult neurons in culture. One of the major advantages of this soma-soma synapse model is that the giant synapse forms between individually identified neurons and provides a large presynaptic release site for detection of functional attributes and for molecular manipulation. In this talk, I will discuss our recent findings concerning the presynaptic mechanisms of calcium-dependent synapse formation in Lymnaea soma-soma synapses. |
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