Chen Gong, Wu Xia, Tuncdemir Sebnem
Department of Biology, The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
Sheng Li Xue Bao. 2007 Dec 25;59(6):697-706.
Synapses are inter-neuronal connections that are fundamental working units in neural networks. How synapses are molecularly constructed is a fascinating question, which attracted scientists' attention for many decades. Neuromuscular junction, a field pioneered by Te-Pei FENG and many others, has been an excellent model for studying synaptogenesis and paved the way for our understanding of the synapse formation in the central nervous system. Recent studies shed new light on the molecular mechanisms of central synapse formation by discovering a group of cell adhesion molecules exerting potent synaptogenic effects. This review will focus on those cell adhesion molecules which can induce central synapse formation when expressed in non-neuronal cells.
突触是神经元之间的连接，是神经网络中的基本工作单元。突触在分子层面是如何构建的，这是一个引人入胜的问题，几十年来一直吸引着科学家们的关注。神经肌肉接头，由冯德培等人开创的一个领域，一直是研究突触发生的优秀模型，并为我们理解中枢神经系统中的突触形成铺平了道路。最近的研究通过发现一组具有强大突触生成作用的细胞粘附分子，为中枢突触形成的分子机制带来了新的认识。本综述将聚焦于那些在非神经元细胞中表达时能够诱导中枢突触形成的细胞粘附分子。
