Abstract
In its distinctive form and specialized function the postsynaptic apparatus of the neuromuscular junction has many of the characteristics of an organelle; a tissue-specific one to be sure. Like other organelles, the junctional apparatus is formed and maintained by genetically programmed mechanisms which are modulated by environmental cues. For example, embryonic myotubes and denervated adult fibers assemble synaptic specializations under the influence of nerve terminals, and once innervated, a muscle will not easily form additional synapses. Thus, regulatory signals must pass between nerve and muscle to insure the formation and proper maintenance of the synapse. Recognition of the similarities between the synapse and other organelles has prompted us to consider the possibility that the genetic expression of components of the synapse is regulated by a common and synapse specific mechanism.
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© 1986 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Merlie, J.P., Sanes, J.R. (1986). Regulation of Synapse-specific Genes. In: Montalcini, R.L., Calissano, P., Kandel, E.R., Maggi, A. (eds) Molecular Aspects of Neurobiology. Proceedings in Life Sciences. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-70690-5_14
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-70690-5_14
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