title: Understanding synapses: past, present, and future.
abstract: Classical physiological work by Katz, Eccles, and others revealed the central importance of synapses in brain function, and characterized the mechanisms involved in synaptic transmission. Building on this work, major advances in the past two decades have elucidated how synapses work molecularly. In the present perspective, we provide a short description of our personal view of these advances, suggest a series of important future questions about synapses, and discuss ideas about how best to achieve further progress in the field.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1050 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304 USA.
authors.forename: Thomas C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Südhof
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Malenka
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators / Q000378:metabolism; D003712:Dendrites / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology; D008561:Membrane Fusion / Q000502:physiology; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D009488:Neurosciences; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*; D013572:Synaptic Vesicles / Q000378:metabolism; D050857:Synaptotagmins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D050857:Synaptotagmins; D002118:Calcium