| A comprehensive understanding of brain development is necessary in order to understand the underlying causes for developmental disorders characterized by abnormal spine morphology and density. Key to obtaining that comprehensive understanding of brain development is fully describing the mechanics of synaptogenesis. Our lab has shown that local protein synthesis is necessary for stabilizing developing synapses. These data suggest that ribosomes are recruited to developing synapses, but when and how this might occur and whether it can happen at presynaptic terminals has never been examined. In order to determine when and whether ribosomes are recruited to developing presynaptic terminals, I coaxed the formation of pseudo-synapses on axons by using beads coated in post-synaptic protein neuroligin and staining for ribosomes using an antibody against Y10b, a ribosome marker. The evidence acquired suggests that there is the transport of ribosomes from the soma to neuronal processes in response to the initiation of synaptogenesis by the alignment of neuroligins with neurexins. |
