SYNAPTIC SPECIFICITY IN THE SPINAL CORD

我们的目标是鉴定神经终末膜成分 参与调节脊髓中特定的突触连接。 神经终末表面质膜的成分广泛存在于 据信在形成和维持 突触连接 据推测，特定的突触关系 由不同群体的脊髓传入神经末梢组成， 反映在他们的突触前神经元的组成上， 膜。 然而，独特的突触前膜蛋白参与 介导特定的突触连接尚待鉴定。 单克隆 已经开发出了针对突触膜抗原的抗体 其鉴定与脊神经相关的突触前膜蛋白 terminals. 虽然这些抗体中的许多识别普遍存在的成分 突触末梢，其他的是特定的脊髓亚群 传入神经末梢 其中一种特别针对突触 囊泡膜抗原似乎具有 预期突触前膜蛋白参与介导特异性 突触连接 拟议研究的目的是：1）确定 这种抗原与神经末梢血浆的结合程度 膜，特别是与突触连接区和突触 裂缝; 2）表征抗原并确定其是否为外周 或整合膜蛋白; 3）纯化抗原并开发一种 单特异性，多克隆抗血清; 4）确定来源， 含有抗原的脊髓传入神经元的连接， 确定这些细胞中假定的神经递质;以及5）绘制 抗原在脑、外周神经系统和脑内的分布 非神经分泌细胞，并确定表达的时间过程， 脊髓中的抗原 的第二部分 研究将致力于识别其他神经末梢突触 可能参与介导突触传递的质膜蛋白质 脊髓的特异性。 免疫细胞化学方法检测光和 电子显微镜，沿着各种免疫化学程序， 用于这些调查。 这些研究的结果很可能 对理解参与的机制有重要意义， 脊髓中突触连接的形成和维持。

Our goal is the identification of the nerve terminal membrane components involved in mediating specific synaptic linkages in the spinal cord. Constituents of the nerve terminal surface plasma membrane are widely believed to have a crucial role in the formation and maintenance of synaptic connections. Presumably, the specific synaptic relationships formed by different populations of spinal afferent nerve terminals are reflected by differences in the composition of their presynaptic membranes. However, the unique presynaptic membrane proteins involved in mediating specific synaptic linkages are yet to be identified. Monoclonal antibodies directed against synaptic membrane antigens have been developed which identify presynaptic membrane proteins associated with spinal nerve terminals. While many of these antibodies recognize ubiquitous components of synaptic endings, others are specific to subpopulations of spinal afferent nerve terminals. One in particular is directed against a synaptic vesicle membrane antigen which appears to have some of the properties expected of a presynaptic membrane protein involved in mediating specific synaptic linkages. The aims of the proposed studies are to: 1) determine to what extent this antigen is associated with the nerve terminal plasma membrane and specifically with the synaptic junctional region and synaptic cleft; 2) characterize the antigen and determine whether it is a peripheral or integral membrane protein; 3) purify the antigen and develope a monospecific, polyclonal antiserum to it; 4) identify the origins and connections of the spinal afferent neurons containing the antigen and determine the putative neurotransmitter(s) in these cells; and 5) map the distribution of the antigen in the brain, peripheral nervous system and in non-neuronal secretory cells and determine the time course of expression of the antigen in the spinal cord during development. A second part of the studies will be directed at identifying other nerve terminal synaptic plasma membrane proteins which may be involved in mediating synaptic specificity in the spinal cord. Immunocytochemical methods for light and electron microscopy, along with various immunochemical procedures will be used in these investigations. The results of these studies are likely to have significant implications for understanding the mechanisms involved in the formation and maintenance of synaptic connections in the spinal cord.