Analysis of Synaptic Transmission and Plasticity
Synaptic transmission is an extremely complex phenomenon. CD BioSciences focuses on the development of novel techniques to help clients analyze synaptic transmission and plasticity, providing new insights into the conventional interpretation of synaptic function. Our efficient technical services will greatly accelerate your progress in neuroscience research.
Introduction
Our brains receive and process information from the outside world all the time, and the information is passed between neurons in the nervous system via synapses. Since synaptic inputs always increase, eliminate and refine in response to ongoing neural activity, the efficacy and weight of synapses in the brain are highly variable. And this plasticity represents the brain's ability to change and adapt to new information.
Methods from multiple fields such as electrophysiology and molecular biology have been applied to synaptic neuroscience research. A variety of experimental techniques have been developed to assess synaptic plasticity, such as single-cell electrophysiological recordings. Recent technological developments allow the combination of optical tools with classical electrophysiological methods, providing neuroscientists with innovative and promising tools to study synaptic transmission.
Fig.1 Sample long-term potentiation (LTP) and depression (LTD) experiments show presynaptic expression. (Brock, 2020)
Our Services
We offer our clients services for synaptic transmission and plasticity analysis by combining electrophysiological techniques with optical techniques. In addition, we offer genetically encoded optical reporters and actuators to add cell type specificity to this analysis. As the interpretation of electrophysiological data depends on many parameters, such as ionic flux and voltage dependence, we use multiple experimental techniques to evaluate all possible sites of action. Our services include but are not limited to:
- Measuring changes in evoked synaptic strength.
We use a variety of techniques to identify sites and effectors of synaptic plasticity, including paired-pulse ratio, AMPAR-to-NMDAR ratio, paired-recordings of synaptically-coupled neurons, methods for detecting nascent or silent synapses, rapid subunit switching without receptor exocytosis, and extracellular recordings. We rely on recordings from postsynaptic neurons to infer changes in presynaptic function.
- Investigating synaptic function.
We offer optical recording technology to help our customers record real-time information on synaptic activity and make accurate, spatially constrained measurements of ongoing network function. We measure functional changes via calcium indicators and optical actuators.
- Determining the locus of synaptic plasticity based on analysis of the coefficient of variation (CV).
- Modeling synaptic plasticity.
We focus on the physiological and biochemical processes involved in the induction and expression of synaptic plasticity to build biophysical models of synaptic plasticity that can be used to explain controlled synaptic plasticity experiments.
- Establishment of calcium dependent models of bidirectional synaptic plasticity.
- Establishment of a model of signal transduction pathway related to synaptic plasticity.
Applications
- Research on neural mechanisms of learning and memory.
- Research on synaptic plasticity in relation to neurodegenerative diseases.
- Research on the effects of dynamic synapses on the firing of neurons.
CD BioSciences has developed a variety of advanced techniques to provide our clients with professional and comprehensive services in the field of synaptic neuroscience. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us.
Reference
- Brock, J. A.; et al. A practical guide to using CV analysis for determining the locus of synaptic plasticity. Frontiers in Synaptic Neuroscience. 2020, 12: 11.
For research use only, not
intended for any clinical use.
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