The synapse is a 1 µm size bi-partite organelle responsible of the
talk between neurons. The role of glutamate receptors is to convert
the chemical signal emits by the pre-synapse (glutamate release) to an
electrical signal understandable by the post-synaptic neuron. Due to
their relatively low affinity for glutamate and to the limited amount
of glutamate, the spatiotemporal nanoscale organization of these
receptors in post-synaptic membrane is fundamental to understand
synaptic transmission and thus information processing by the brain.
This nanoscale sub-synaptic organization has become accessible through
the use of single particle based super-resolution microscopy which
provides a spatial resolution of approximately 10 nm in multiple
colors and allows for tracking the mobility of individual proteins.
These advances have significantly enhanced our understanding of the
properties governing synaptic transmission.
A specific focus is given to the effects of synaptic long term
depression (LTD) on glutamate receptor organization