Chapter 4

Covers Chapter 4

Long-Term Potentiation (LTP)

A long-lasting enhancement in synaptic strength following stimulation.

Dendritic spines

Small protrusions from a neuron's dendrite that receive synaptic inputs.

Actin

A protein that forms the cytoskeletal framework in cells; it exists in monomer (G-actin) and polymer (F-actin) forms.

Endocytosis

The process by which cells internalize substances from their external environment.

AMPA receptors

Receptors that mediate fast synaptic transmission in the central nervous system.

Calcium/Calmodulin-dependent Protein Kinase II (CaMKII)

An enzyme that is activated by calcium and is crucial for various cellular processes, including synaptic plasticity.

Cofilin

A protein that regulates actin dynamics by severing and depolymerizing actin filaments.

Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs)

Proteins located on the cell surface that facilitate cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix adhesion.

Neural Cadherins

A type of CAM that is important for stabilizing synapses by promoting adhesion between neurons.

Integrin receptors

A type of CAM that binds to the extracellular matrix and plays a role in stabilizing synaptic changes.

Latrunculin

A drug that inhibits actin polymerization, used to study the role of actin in LTP.

Myosin IIb

A motor protein that interacts with actin filaments, playing a critical role in stabilizing LTP.

Experimental Evidence

Data collected from controlled experiments to validate theoretical concepts in neuroscience.