Knowing a nascent synapse when you see it.
To understand brain development, we must learn how synapse formation shapes functional neural circuits. At the heart of this process lies the nascent synapse--an enigmatic structure spanning the developmental gap between initial cell-cell contact and the mature synapse. New experimental techniques are beginning to illuminate the processes involved in synaptogenesis, but much remains to be learned, including simply how to recognize the synapse in its nascent form.
Ahmari
Susanne E
SE
Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Beckman Center, Room B100, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. sahmari@stanford.edu
Smith
Stephen J
SJ
D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins