Cell adhesion molecules in Drosophila synapse development and function.
Synapse is a highly specialized inter-cellular structure between neurons or between a neuron and its target cell that mediates cell-cell communications. Ample results indicate that synaptic adhesion molecules are critically important in modulating the complexity and specificity of the synapse. And disruption of adhesive properties of synapses may lead to neurodevelopmental or neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we will use the Drosophila NMJ as a model system for glutamatergic synapses to discuss the structure and function of homophilic and heterophilic synaptic adhesion molecules with special focus on recent findings in neurexins and neuroligins in Drosophila.
Key Laboratory of DGHD, MOE, Institute of Life Sciences, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China. sunmk@seu.edu.cn
Mingkuan
M
Sun
Wei
W
Xie
D000818:Animals; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000378:metabolism*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020880:Neuregulins / Q000378:metabolism; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000502:physiology*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*
D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D020880:Neuregulins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D018698:Glutamic Acid