Neuroligins Differentially Mediate Subtype-Specific Synapse Formation in Pyramidal Neurons and Interneurons.

ABSTRACT: Neuroligins (NLs) are postsynaptic cell-adhesion proteins that play important roles in synapse formation and the excitatory-inhibitory balance. They have been associated with autism in both human genetic and animal model studies, and affect synaptic connections and synaptic plasticity in several brain regions. Yet current research mainly focuses on pyramidal neurons, while the function of NLs in interneurons remains to be understood. To explore the functional difference among NLs in the subtype-specific synapse formation of both pyramidal neurons and interneurons, we performed viral-mediated shRNA knockdown of NLs in cultured rat cortical neurons and examined the synapses in the two major types of neurons. Our results showed that in both types of neurons, NL1 and NL3 were involved in excit

SUBMITTER: Xia QQ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6527637 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature