Apoer2: a reelin receptor to remember.
The extracellular protein Reelin is crucial for neuronal positioning during brain development, but its expression persists long after cell migration is completed. In this issue of Neuron, Beffert et al. demonstrate that Reelin exerts an additional function in the mature brain, to modulate synaptic plasticity and to favor memory formation. This activity is carried out exquisitely by the Apoer2 receptor and critically requires the presence of an alternatively spliced exon. This exon encodes an intracellular domain that interacts with postsynaptic proteins and promotes binding and phosphorylation of NMDA receptors.
D'Arcangelo
Gabriella
G
The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Texas Children's Hospital, Departmrnt of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
D017398:Alternative Splicing / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000378:metabolism*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D026502:LDL-Receptor Related Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000502:physiology; D018110:Receptors, Lipoprotein / Q000378:metabolism*; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000378:metabolism; D000091042:Reelin Protein; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism*
D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D026502:LDL-Receptor Related Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D018110:Receptors, Lipoprotein; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D000091042:Reelin Protein; C098773:low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 8; C000717127:RELN protein, human; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases