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Synaptic plasticity and dynamic modulation of the postsynaptic membrane

Nature Neuroscience volume 3, pages 545–550 (2000)Cite this article

Abstract

The biochemical composition of the postsynaptic membrane and the structure of dendritic spines may be rapidly modulated by synaptic activity. Here we review these findings, discuss their implications for long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) and propose a model of sequentially occurring expression mechanisms.

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Figure 1: Coated vesicles in dendritic spines.
Figure 2: Proposed sequence of mechanisms involved in expression of LTP.

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Acknowledgements

We thank M. Frerking for comments on the manuscript, N. Toni for providing the EM pictures as well as G. von Kaenel for technical assistance with Fig. 1. C.L. is a SCORE A recipient of the Swiss National Science Foundation. R.A.N. is a member of the Keck Center for Integrative Neuroscience and the Silvio Conte Center for Neuroscience Research. He is supported by grants from the NIH and Bristol-Myers Squibb. R.C.M. is supported by grants from the NIH. D.M. is supported by grants of the Swiss National Science Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology (APSIC), CMU, 1, Rue Michel-Servet, Université de Genève, Geneva, 4, 1211, Switzerland

    C. Lüscher & D. Muller

  2. Department of Physiology, Université de Genève, Geneva, 4, 1211, Switzerland

    C. Lüscher

  3. Department of Neurology, Université de Genève, Geneva, 4, 1211, Switzerland

    C. Lüscher

  4. Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Ave., San Francisco, 94143, California, USA

    R. A. Nicoll

  5. Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Ave., San Francisco, 94143, California, USA

    R. A. Nicoll

  6. Nancy Friend Pritzker Laboratory, Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, 94304-5485, California, USA

    R. C. Malenka

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  1. C. Lüscher
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  3. R. C. Malenka
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Correspondence to C. Lüscher.

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Lüscher, C., Nicoll, R., Malenka, R. et al. Synaptic plasticity and dynamic modulation of the postsynaptic membrane. Nat Neurosci 3, 545–550 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/75714

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