Modeling Glutamatergic Synapses: Insights Into Mechanisms Regulating Synaptic Efficacy
Year: 2008
Type: article
Abstract: The hippocampal formation is critically involved for the long-term storage of various forms of information, and it is widely believed that the phenomenon of long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic transmission is a molecular/cellular mechanism participating in memory formation. Although several high level models of hippocampal function have been developed, they do not incorporate detailed molecular information of the type necessary to understand the contribution of individual molecular events to the mechanisms underlying LTP and learning and memory. We are therefore developing new technological tools based on mathematical modeling and computer simulation of the molecular processes taking place in realistic biological networks to reach such an understanding. This article briefly summarizes the approach we are using and illustrates it by presenting data regarding the effects of changing the number of AMPA receptors on various features of glutamatergic transmission, including NMDA receptor-mediated responses and paired-pulse facilitation. We conclude by discussing the significance of these results and providing some ideas for future directions with this approach.
Institution: University of Southern California
Language: English
Subfield: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2023741337