@article{2018,
  abstract     = {Synaptic cell adhesion molecules are increasingly gaining attention for conferring specific properties to individual synapses. Netrin-G1 and netrin-G2 are trans-synaptic adhesion molecules that distribute on distinct axons, and their presence restricts the expression of their cognate receptors, NGL1 and NGL2, respectively, to specific subdendritic segments of target neurons. However, the neural circuits and functional roles of netrin-G isoform complexes remain unclear. Here, we use netrin-G-KO and NGL-KO mice to reveal that netrin-G1/NGL1 and netrin-G2/NGL2 interactions specify excitatory synapses in independent hippocampal pathways. In the hippocampal CA1 area, netrin-G1/NGL1 and netrin-G2/NGL2 were expressed in the temporoammonic and Schaffer collateral pathways, respectively. The lack of presynaptic netrin-Gs led to the dispersion of NGLs from postsynaptic membranes. In accord, netrin-G mutant synapses displayed opposing phenotypes in long-term and short-term plasticity through discrete biochemical pathways. The plasticity phenotypes in netrin-G-KOs were phenocopied in NGL-KOs, with a corresponding loss of netrin-Gs from presynaptic membranes. Our findings show that netrin-G/NGL interactions differentially control synaptic plasticity in distinct circuits via retrograde signaling mechanisms and explain how synaptic inputs are diversified to control neuronal activity.},
  author       = {Matsukawa, Hiroshi and Akiyoshi Nishimura, Sachiko and Zhang, Qi and Luján, Rafael and Yamaguchi, Kazuhiko and Goto, Hiromichi and Yaguchi, Kunio and Hashikawa, Tsutomu and Sano, Chie and Shigemoto, Ryuichi and Nakashiba, Toshiaki and Itohara, Shigeyoshi},
  issn         = {1529-2401},
  journal      = {Journal of Neuroscience},
  number       = {47},
  pages        = {15779 -- 15792},
  publisher    = {Society for Neuroscience},
  title        = {{Netrin-G/NGL complexes encode functional synaptic diversification}},
  doi          = {10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1141-14.2014},
  volume       = {34},
  year         = {2014},
}

@article{2064,
  abstract     = {We examined the synaptic structure, quantity, and distribution of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA)- and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs and NMDARs, respectively) in rat cochlear nuclei by a highly sensitive freeze-fracture replica labeling technique. Four excitatory synapses formed by two distinct inputs, auditory nerve (AN) and parallel fibers (PF), on different cell types were analyzed. These excitatory synapse types included AN synapses on bushy cells (AN-BC synapses) and fusiform cells (AN-FC synapses) and PF synapses on FC (PF-FC synapses) and cartwheel cell spines (PF-CwC synapses). Immunogold labeling revealed differences in synaptic structure as well as AMPAR and NMDAR number and/or density in both AN and PF synapses, indicating a target-dependent organization. The immunogold receptor labeling also identified differences in the synaptic organization of FCs based on AN or PF connections, indicating an input-dependent organization in FCs. Among the four excitatory synapse types, the AN-BC synapses were the smallest and had the most densely packed intramembrane particles (IMPs), whereas the PF-CwC synapses were the largest and had sparsely packed IMPs. All four synapse types showed positive correlations between the IMP-cluster area and the AMPAR number, indicating a common intrasynapse-type relationship for glutamatergic synapses. Immunogold particles for AMPARs were distributed over the entire area of individual AN synapses; PF synapses often showed synaptic areas devoid of labeling. The gold-labeling for NMDARs occurred in a mosaic fashion, with less positive correlations between the IMP-cluster area and the NMDAR number. Our observations reveal target- and input-dependent features in the structure, number, and organization of AMPARs and NMDARs in AN and PF synapses.},
  author       = {Rubio, Maía and Fukazawa, Yugo and Kamasawa, Naomi and Clarkson, Cheryl and Molnár, Elek and Shigemoto, Ryuichi},
  journal      = {Journal of Comparative Neurology},
  number       = {18},
  pages        = {4023 -- 4042},
  publisher    = {Wiley-Blackwell},
  title        = {{Target- and input-dependent organization of AMPA and NMDA receptors in synaptic connections of the cochlear nucleus}},
  doi          = {10.1002/cne.23654},
  volume       = {522},
  year         = {2014},
}