Neurotransmitters are released by synaptic vesicle exocytosis at the active zone of a
presynaptic nerve terminal. In this review, I discuss the molecular composition and function …

▪ Abstract The heparan sulfate on the surface of all adherent cells modulates the actions of a
large number of extracellular ligands. Members of both cell surface heparan sulfate …

PDZ domains are protein-interaction domains that are often found in multi-domain
scaffolding proteins. PDZ-containing scaffolds assemble specific proteins into large …

Dendritic spines are tiny protrusions that receive excitatory synaptic input and
compartmentalize postsynaptic responses. Heterogeneous in size and shape, and …

The morphology and molecular composition of synapses provide the structural basis for
synaptic function. This article reviews the electron microscopy of excitatory synapses on …

Most neurons form synapses exclusively with other neurons, but little is known about the
molecular mechanisms mediating synaptogenesis in the central nervous system. Using an …

Stargazer, an ataxic and epileptic mutant mouse, lacks functional AMPA (α-amino-3-
hydroxyl-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate) receptors on cerebellar granule cells. Stargazin …

The spectrin-based membrane skeleton of the humble mammalian erythrocyte has provided
biologists with a set of interacting proteins with diverse roles in organization and survival of …

Proteoglycans (PGs) represent a large proportion of the components that constitute the
extracellular matrix (ECM). They are a diverse group of glycoproteins characterized by a …

▪ Abstract PDZ domains are modular protein interaction domains that bind in a sequence-
specific fashion to short C-terminal peptides or internal peptides that fold in a β-finger. The …