Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) are a
family of small conserved eukaryotic proteins that mediate membrane fusion between …

Glutamate serves as both the mammalian brain's primary excitatory neurotransmitter and as
a key neuromodulator to control synapse and circuit function over a wide range of spatial …

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is the major endocytic pathway in mammalian cells. It
is responsible for the uptake of transmembrane receptors and transporters, for remodeling …

Voltage-gated calcium channels couple depolarization of the cell-surface membrane to entry
of calcium, which triggers secretion, contraction, neurotransmission, gene expression, and …

Synaptic transmission is maintained by a delicate, sub-synaptic molecular architecture, and
even mild alterations in synapse structure drive functional changes during experience …

Close appositions between the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and other
intracellular membranes have important functions in cell physiology. These include lipid …

Evolution provides a creative fount of complex and subtle adaptations that often surprise the
scientists who discover them. However, the creativity of evolution is not limited to the natural …

The fluid-mosaic model posits a liquid-like plasma membrane, which can flow in response to
tension gradients. It is widely assumed that membrane flow transmits local changes in …

Neurons in the mammalian brain are not limited to releasing a single neurotransmitter but
often release multiple neurotransmitters onto postsynaptic cells. Here, we review recent …

At each of the brain's vast number of synapses, the presynaptic nerve terminal, synaptic cleft,
and postsynaptic specialization form a transcellular unit to enable efficient transmission of …