Inhibitory Postsynaptic Density from the Lens of Phase Separation

Overview

Journal Oxf Open Neurosci

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialty Neurology

Date 2024 Apr 10

PMID 38596704

Authors

Guanhua Bai

Mingjie Zhang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

To faithfully transmit and decode signals released from presynaptic termini, postsynaptic compartments of neuronal synapses deploy hundreds of various proteins. In addition to distinct sets of proteins, excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic apparatuses display very different organization features and regulatory properties. Decades of extensive studies have generated a wealth of knowledge on the molecular composition, assembly architecture and activity-dependent regulatory mechanisms of excitatory postsynaptic compartments. In comparison, our understanding of the inhibitory postsynaptic apparatus trails behind. Recent studies have demonstrated that phase separation is a new paradigm underlying the formation and plasticity of both excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic molecular assemblies. In this review, we discuss molecular composition, organizational and regulatory features of inhibitory postsynaptic densities through the lens of the phase separation concept and in comparison with the excitatory postsynaptic densities.

Citing Articles

Thermodynamic modulation of gephyrin condensation by inhibitory synapse components.

Lee G, Kim S, Hwang D, Eom Y, Jang G, Park H Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024; 121(12):e2313236121.

PMID: 38466837 PMC: 10963017. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313236121.

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