Receptor protein in tyrosine phosphates in synapse formation and maintenance

The connections between nerve cells in the mammalian cerebral cortex are highly dynamic. Synaptic connectivity can be modulated through addition of new and elimination of existing synapses. Moreover, the ability of stable synapses to transmit neural activity can vary over time, either due to alterations in the release of neurotransmitter from the presynaptic neuron, or due to changes in the sensitivity of the postsynaptic neuron to the neurotransmitter. We currently study the role of receptor protein tyrosine phosphatases, membrane proteins at the cell surface of these neurons, in the regulation of synapse formation and maintenance. These regulatory proteins may participate in the assembly of neurotransmitter release sites. Furthermore, they may be capable of initiating structural alterations at these sites that lead to changes in neurotransmitter release. Receptor protein tyrosine phosphatases may thus be of crucial importance for the regulation of synaptic plasticity, the cellular basis for the experience-dependent adaptation of the nervous system to its environment, learning, and memory.