TY - JOUR
T1 - Isolation of postsynaptic densities from rat brain
AU - Cotman, C. W.
AU - Banker, G.
AU - Churchill, L.
AU - Taylor, D.
PY - 1974/11/1
Y1 - 1974/11/1
N2 - Most synapses in the central nervous system exhibit a prominent electron-opaque specialization of the postsynaptic plasma membrane called the postsynaptic density (PSD). We have developed a procedure for the isolation of PSDs which is based on their buoyant density and their insolubility in N-lauroyl sarcosinate. Treatment of synaptic membranes with this detergent solubilizes most plasma membranes and detaches PSDs from the plasma membrane so that they can be purified on a density gradient. Isolated PSDs appear structurally intact and exhibit those properties which characterize them in tissue. The isolated PSDs are of the size, shape, and electron opacity of those seen in tissue; they stain with both ethanolic phosphotungstic acid and bismuth iodide-uranyl lead and the fraction contains cyclic 3',5'-phosphodiesterase activity. Quantitative electron microscope analysis of the PSD fraction gives an estimated purity of better than 85%. Inasmuch as the PSD is associated primarily with dendritic excitatory synapses, our PSD fraction represents the distinctive plasma membrane specialization of this specific synaptic type in isolation.
AB - Most synapses in the central nervous system exhibit a prominent electron-opaque specialization of the postsynaptic plasma membrane called the postsynaptic density (PSD). We have developed a procedure for the isolation of PSDs which is based on their buoyant density and their insolubility in N-lauroyl sarcosinate. Treatment of synaptic membranes with this detergent solubilizes most plasma membranes and detaches PSDs from the plasma membrane so that they can be purified on a density gradient. Isolated PSDs appear structurally intact and exhibit those properties which characterize them in tissue. The isolated PSDs are of the size, shape, and electron opacity of those seen in tissue; they stain with both ethanolic phosphotungstic acid and bismuth iodide-uranyl lead and the fraction contains cyclic 3',5'-phosphodiesterase activity. Quantitative electron microscope analysis of the PSD fraction gives an estimated purity of better than 85%. Inasmuch as the PSD is associated primarily with dendritic excitatory synapses, our PSD fraction represents the distinctive plasma membrane specialization of this specific synaptic type in isolation.
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U2 - 10.1083/jcb.63.2.441
DO - 10.1083/jcb.63.2.441
M3 - Article
C2 - 4138148
AN - SCOPUS:0016265495
SN - 0021-9525
VL - 63
SP - 441
EP - 455
JO - Journal of Cell Biology
JF - Journal of Cell Biology
IS - 2
ER -