Measurement and characteristics of neurotransmitter receptor surface trafficking (Review)

1. Mol Membr Biol. 2008 May;25(4):344-52. doi: 10.1080/09687680801958364.

Measurement and characteristics of neurotransmitter receptor surface trafficking
(Review).

Groc L(1), Choquet D.

Author information:
(1)Physiologie Cellulaire de la Synapse, Université Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.

Neurotransmitter receptor trafficking in and out synapses has emerged as a key
process to regulate synaptic transmission during synaptic development and
plasticity both at excitatory and inhibitory synapses. Lateral diffusion of
surface neurotransmitter receptors has recently emerged as a key pathway to
regulate receptor trafficking to and from synapses. Receptors enter and exit
synapses mainly by lateral diffusion within the plane of the membrane while their
retrieval and addition from and to the plasma membrane by endo and exocytotic
processes occur largely at extrasynaptic sites. As a consequence, regulation of
receptor surface trafficking is likely to be a major process to regulate receptor
numbers at synapses. Measurement of receptor surface diffusion has required the
development of new experimental approaches to specifically label and track
surface receptor with appropriate time- and space-resolutions. In this review, we
first discuss the approaches that have been used to measure receptor surface
diffusion, such as the ensemble approach that measure average diffusion of a
defined surface receptor population and the single molecule/particle approaches
that measure the surface diffusion of isolated receptors. To date, surface
diffusion has been described for a variety of neurotransmitter receptors that
exhibit common as well as specific features. These points are discussed in a
comparative manner and emerging rules of surface trafficking as well as potential
interplay between receptor classes are further commented. Because our knowledge
on neurotransmitter receptor surface diffusion is fairly recent, open questions
and experimental challenges facing the field are highlighted throughout the
review.

DOI: 10.1080/09687680801958364
PMID: 18446620 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

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