The basement membrane at the neuromuscular junction: a synaptic mediatrix.
The basement membrane at the neuromuscular junction directs formation of pre- and postsynaptic elements at this synapse. Efforts to understand the molecular basis for development of the postsynaptic specialization have brought new insights into extracellular matrix proteins and their cell-surface receptors. Recent evidence for an agrin receptor and mice null for the s-laminin gene have reinforced the function of the basement membrane in both orthograde and retrograde signalling across the synapse.
Carbonetto
S
S
Centre for Neuroscience Research, McGill University, Montreal General Hospital Research Institute, PQ, Canada. cy93@musica.mcgill.ca
Lindenbaum
M
M
D018171:Agrin / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000502:physiology*; D007797:Laminin / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000502:physiology*; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000502:physiology*
D018171:Agrin; D007797:Laminin