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Electrophysiological and Biochemical Studies of AMPA Receptor Phosphorylation and Synaptic Plasticity in Hippocampal CA1 Mini-Slices

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Multidisciplinary Tools for Investigating Synaptic Plasticity

Part of the book series: Neuromethods ((NM,volume 81))

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Abstract

In the hippocampus, synapses undergo activity-dependent changes in synaptic strength, and this is thought to underlie some forms of learning and memory. Different patterns of activity can selectively enhance synaptic transmission, inducing long-term potentiation (LTP), or weaken synapses, resulting in long-term depression (LTD). It is thought that the activation of specific signaling pathways will dictate the direction of plasticity, with kinases leading to LTP and phosphatases leading to LTD. These signaling molecules influence synaptic strength by modifying the phosphorylation state of many target proteins. In particular, bi-directional alterations in the phosphorylation of AMPA receptors can affect the trafficking and conductance of these receptors, which greatly impact the magnitude of synaptic strength. In order to further understand the signaling at AMPA receptors, and their contribution to synaptic plasticity, investigators employ a wide variety of approaches, from genetics and molecular biology to behavior. Here we describe our approaches using electrophysiological and biochemical methods with acute mouse hippocampal CA1 mini-slices to study GluA1 phosphorylation during LTP and LTD.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Interdepartmental Program in Neuroscience, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Erin E. Gray

  2. Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Thomas J. O’Dell

Authors
  1. Erin E. Gray
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  2. Thomas J. O’Dell
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, Department of Physiology, University of Alberta, Medical Sciences Building 7-14, Edmonton, T6G 2H7, Alberta, Canada

    Peter Nguyen

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Gray, E.E., O’Dell, T.J. (2013). Electrophysiological and Biochemical Studies of AMPA Receptor Phosphorylation and Synaptic Plasticity in Hippocampal CA1 Mini-Slices. In: Nguyen, P. (eds) Multidisciplinary Tools for Investigating Synaptic Plasticity. Neuromethods, vol 81. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-517-0_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-517-0_7

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-62703-516-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-62703-517-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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