Signaling postsynaptic density

Dendritic spine alteration is mediated by calcineurin activation, a calcium-dependent phosphatase involved in synapse signaling. Acute treatment of young and plaque-free transgenic mice with the calcineurin inhibitor FK506 leads to a complete rescue of longterm depression and postsynaptic density composition [550],... 

Among the GluRs, NMDA receptors are biochemically the most tightly associated with the postsynaptic density (PSD), a morphological characteristic of excitatory synapses that is specialized for postsynaptic signal transduction (Kennedy, 1997 Ziff, 1997). Presumably, NMDA receptors are anchored in the PSD through specific protein-protein interactions mediated by the cytoplasmic domains of its constituent subunits. Via these biochemical interactions, NMDA receptors can be linked to the subsynaptic cytoskeleton and coupled to... 

An important function of the PDZ domains lies in the formation of macromolecular associates at the cell membrane (review Pawson and Scott, 1997). PDZ proteins can also provide a framework for clustering of ion channels within specific structures at postsynaptic membranes, known as postsynaptic density, PSD. Major organizers of the PSD appear to be PDZ-containing proteins, e. g., PSD-95, with distinct specificity for binding of downstream signaling proteins. 

Craven, S.E. and Bredt, D.S. (2000) Synaptic targeting of the postsynaptic density protein PSD-95 mediated by a tyrosine-based trafficking signal. J.Biol.Chem., 275, 20045-20051. 

---