Pre- and post-synaptic mechanisms regulating the clustering of type A gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors (GABAA receptors).
Postsynaptic clustering of GABAA (type A gamma-aminobutyric acid) receptors is essential to ensure proper function of GABAergic synapses. This process is initiated during synapse formation and is maintained throughout life. The tubulin-associated protein gephyrin is required for clustering of GABAA receptors, but its specific role in this process is not understood. A second protein associated selectively with GABAA receptors at postsynaptic sites is dystrophin. It is present in a subset of GABAergic synapses along with several partners, forming the dystrophin-associated protein complex. In this review, we discuss recent advances in the role of neuronal activity and trans-synaptic signaling for the clustering of gephyrin and dystrophin during synaptogenesis and on the role of these proteins for plasticity and maintenance of mature synapses.
Fritschy
J-M
JM
Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland. fritschy@pharma.unizh.ch
Schweizer
C
C
Brünig
I
I
Lüscher
B
B
D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D016189:Dystrophin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000378:metabolism; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000378:metabolism*; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism*
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D016189:Dystrophin; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; C073441:gephyrin