title: From contact to connection: early events during synaptogenesis.
abstract: When neuronal processes first come into contact, chemical synapses can form rapidly. Many neurons synthesize synaptic machinery through intrinsic programs before cell-cell interactions. During the formation of chemical synapses, contact with appropriate targets has been found to trigger intracellular signals that induce the assembly of pre-existing synaptic machinery. We propose that 'promiscuous' neurons secrete transmitter before contacting their targets, and form over-abundant synapses, which undergo additional activity-dependent refinement; 'selective' neurons, which retain their original connectivity, require concerted retrograde and anterograde signaling to ensure their correct matching.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Zoology and Genetics, Iowa State University, Ames 50011, USA.
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Haydon
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Drapeau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication; D006801:Humans; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter