title: Stochastic model of protein receptor trafficking prior to synaptogenesis.
abstract: We present a stochastic model of NMDA ( N-methyl d-aspartate) receptor transport along a dendrite prior to synapse formation. Receptors undergo periods of intracellular kinesin motor-driven transport along microtubules interspersed with periods of cycling to the cell surface through exocytosis or endocytsosis. The stochastic dynamics is reduced to a spatially discrete hopping model that determines the time-dependent distribution of receptors along the dendrite. We also investigate how possible defects in motor-assisted transport can affect this distribution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA.
authors.forename: Paul C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Bressloff
mesh_terms: D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D003712:Dendrites / Q000378:metabolism*; D004705:Endocytosis; D005089:Exocytosis; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D021381:Protein Transport; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000378:metabolism*; D013269:Stochastic Processes; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate