Single molecule analyses around the synaptic membrane formed on glass

神经元之间的信息传递发生在突触上。在这里，我们成功地在玻璃上直接形成突触后膜，并利用全内反射荧光显微镜观察到高空间和时间分辨率的受体分子的运动。我们已经证明，在长时程增强过程中，不同亚型的谷氨酸受体通过不同的途径聚集在突触后膜上，这是突触传递的神经元活性依赖的增强，被认为是学习和记忆的基础。

Information transmission between neurons takes place at synapses. Here, we have succeeded to form postsynaptic membrane directly on the glass and to observe the movement of receptor molecules with high spatial and temporal resolution using total internal reflection fluorescent microscopy. We have demonstrated that different subtypes of glutamate receptor accumulate at the postsynaptic membrane through distinct routes during long-term potentiation, which is the neuronal activity dependent enhancement of synaptic transmission and has been regarded as a basis of learning and memory.