Postsynaptic Density

From Anvita Health Wiki

Contents 1 Introduction 2 Subunits 3 More General Terms 4 References

Introduction

• An electron-dense (by electron microscopy) thickening of the postsynaptic membrane. It is a protein-rich organelle specialized for signal transduction.

• Size: 30-40 nm thick & a few hundred nm wide

Subunits

• glutamate receptors

• NMDA receptors
• AMPA receptors
• metabotropic glutamate receptors (group 1)

• linked to phospholipase C

• adhesion receptors

• ephA receptor
• ephB receptor

• scaffold proteins

• homer
• Shank
• GKAP ( disks large associated protein 1)
• scaffold-associated protein-90 ( SAP-90, PSD-95)
• Rack-1 protein
• Pick-1 protein
• glutamate receptor-interacting protein-1
• scaffold-associated protein-102
• post synaptic density-93
• scaffold-associated protein-97

• Associated proteins:

• SPAR
• drebrin-1

• mRNA translation occurs at post-synpatic densities & is tightly regulated by synaptic stimulation
• Solubility: relatively insoluble in non- ionic detergents
• Purification: differential centrifugation

More General Terms

• organelle

References

1. Sheng M. Molecular organization of the postsynaptic specialization. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001 Jun 19;98(13):7058-61. Review. PMID: [1]

postsynaptic density