Synaptic metabolism

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Highly specialized synaptic metabolism depends not only on its specific anatomy but also on its main functions. In other words, we could say that the synapse has distinctive metabolic pathways that depend on the chemical composition of cellular microenvironments. This is related to localization and the particular characteristics of critical organelles such as neurotransmitter vesicles, synaptic mitochondria, cell membranes and receptors. Specific amino acids, proteins, lipids, regulation of calcium homeostasis, and energy metabolism including mitocondrial function are crucial elements that define possible synaptic metabolic pathways. 

The synapse is very rich in lipids that compose the vesicles where neurotransmitters are stored. Pre and post-synaptic membranes differ in lipid composition and include diverse intrinsic and extrinsic proteins. Glia is also very important to the regulation of glycolitic pathways, lactate and glutamate metabolism among other functions.

lipid_bilayerGreat variety of lipids

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Neuron-astrocyte communication

Although it has not been reported in detail in the literature, it would be tempting to define major synaptic metabolic pathways by the different synaptic anatomic sites. In particular, the metabolic pathways of amino acids, biogenic amines, lipids, purines, neuropeptides, synaptic receptors, as well as energy metabolism should be considered in detail. All of them are interconnected and compose what we could call the global “synaptic metabolism”.

In this section you will find information about how this synaptic metabolism could be defined and how it is affected by different neuropaediatric disorders including  inborn errors of metabolism.

24 posts published about Synaptic metabolism

Cholinergic neurotransmission and the developing brain

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What do you know about acetylcholine?  What about its role in the developing brain?   Are there diseases of the central nervous system due to abnormal cholinergic transmission in paediatrics? Our current knowledge about disorders of neurotransmission in children is focused on transmitters such as dopamine, serotonin or GABA. By contrast little is known about the […]

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Mitochondrial mobilization controls plasticity and axon formation

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LKB1, NUAK1 and SNPH are proteins related to those proceses   Courchet, J., et al. Terminal axon branching is regulated by LKB1-NUAK1 kinase pathway via presynaptic mitochondrial capture. Cell. 2013 (153):1510-1525 Sun, T., et al. Motile Axonal Mitochondria Contribute to the Variability of Presynaptic Strength. Cell Reports. August 2013 (4):1-7. Axon formation, presynaptic strength and […]

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Serotonin and cortical architecture

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The neurotransmitters sculpt the brain Serotonin is an abundant neurotransmitter in the brain. During development, serotonin regulates processes such as neuronal migration and dendrite differentiation through some particular 5HT receptors. Abnormal serotoninergic neurotransmission during early periods of life may disrupt the construction of  cortical circuits and contribute to neurologic and neuropsychiatric disorders.   The human […]

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Calcium: is all about control and precision

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The precise GABAergic calcium control plays a key role in neuronal plasticity       The perisomatic inhibitory control is already known, which can control the action potential output from the post-synaptic cell. The precise level at which this is done, is for the first time described, demonstrating an exquisite compartmentalized control on the heads of dendrite […]

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