Department of Otolaryngology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
Mol Cell Neurosci. 2012 May;50(1):58-69. doi: 10.1016/j.mcn.2012.03.009. Epub 2012 Apr 2.
Transmitter release at synapses ensures faithful chemical coding of information that is transmitted in the sub-second time frame. The brain, the central unit of information processing, depends upon fast communication for decision making. Neuronal and neurosensory cells are equipped with the molecular machinery that responds reliably, and with high fidelity, to external stimuli. However, neuronal cells differ markedly from neurosensory cells in their signal transmission at synapses. The main difference rests in how the synaptic complex is organized, with active zones in neuronal cells and ribbon synapses in sensory cells (such as photoreceptors and hair cells). In exocytosis/neurosecretion, SNAREs (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein attachment protein receptors) and associated proteins play a critical role in vesicle docking, priming, fusion and synchronization of neurotransmitter release. Recent studies suggest differences between neuronal and sensory cells with respect to the molecular components of their synaptic complexes. In this review, we will cover current findings on neuronal and sensory-cell SNARE proteins and their modulators. We will also briefly discuss recent investigations on how deficits in the expression of SNARE proteins in humans impair function in brain and sense organs.
在突触处的递质释放确保了在亚秒时间框架内传输的信息的忠实化学编码。大脑作为信息处理的中枢单元，依赖于快速通讯来进行决策。神经元和神经感觉细胞配备有分子机制，能够可靠且高保真地响应外部刺激。然而，神经元细胞在突触处的信号传递与神经感觉细胞有显著差异。主要区别在于突触复合体的组织方式，神经元细胞中有活性区，而感觉细胞（如光感受器和毛细胞）中有带状突触。在胞吐/神经分泌中，SNARE（可溶性 N-乙基马来酰亚胺敏感融合蛋白附着蛋白受体）和相关蛋白在囊泡停泊、引发、融合和神经递质释放的同步化中起着关键作用。最近的研究表明，神经元和感觉细胞在其突触复合体的分子成分方面存在差异。在这篇综述中，我们将介绍神经元和感觉细胞 SNARE 蛋白及其调节剂的最新发现。我们还将简要讨论最近的研究结果，即人类中 SNARE 蛋白表达缺陷如何损害大脑和感觉器官的功能。
