Synapse formation completes
the wiring of the nervous system

Synapse Formation in the Peripheral and Central Nervous System

Synapses: the basic computation units
in the brain

Aberrant synaptic connectivity
and synaptic function lead to disease states

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Central Synapses and
Neuromuscular Junctions (NMJs)

Structure of the neuromuscular junction

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General Features of Synapse Formation

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Clustering of ACh-R:
A) Aggregation of existing receptors

Clustering of ACh-R:
B) Local synthesis of receptors

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Agrin

Agrin signals through MuSK

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Summary of mutant phenotypes

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Neuregulin (ARIA)

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Clustering of ACh-R:
B) Local synthesis of receptors

Neural activity represses ACh-R synthesis in non-synaptic areas

Three neural signals for the induction of postsynaptic differentiation

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Laminin 11 affects presynaptic differentiation

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Analogies of central synapses and NMJs

Differences between central synapses and NMJs

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Future directions/problems