Cited by 138Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchGenetics and Neurodevelopmental DisordersProtein Kinase Regulation and GTPase Signaling

The Postsynaptic Density: There Is More than Meets the Eye

Open access
Dosemeci, Ayse, Weinberg, Richard J., Reese, Thomas S., Tao-Cheng, Jung-Hwa·2016·Frontiers in Synaptic Neuroscience

Abstract

The postsynaptic density (PSD), apparent in electron micrographs as a dense lamina just beneath the postsynaptic membrane, includes a deeper layer, the "pallium", containing a scaffold of Shank and Homer proteins. Though poorly defined in traditionally prepared thin-section electron micrographs, the pallium becomes denser and more conspicuous during intense synaptic activity, due to the reversible addition of CaMKII and other proteins. In this Perspective article, we review the significance of CaMKII-mediated recruitment of proteins to the pallium with respect to both the trafficking of receptors and the remodeling of spine shape that follow synaptic stimulation. We suggest that the level and duration of CaMKII translocation and activation in the pallium will shape activity-induced changes in the spine.

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.3389/fnsyn.2016.00023

Cites

13 of 13 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Actin is largely excluded from the core of the PSD, interacting with proteins such as Shank and SAPAP in the pallium.

    “However, actin is largely excluded from the core of the PSD, interacting with such proteins as Shank and SAPAP located in the deeper, cytoplasmic-facing layer of the PSD referred to as the pallium (66, 162, 322).”

    From Synaptic memory and CaMKII (2023) · cites this paper as [162]

    The Conclusion (page unavailable) places the pallium between the PSD core and the actin cytoskeleton, and the Pallial Layer section places Shank in that deeper layer. The Actin and the PSD section describes possible links between actin and Shank-binding proteins, but does not establish that actin is largely excluded from the core. It also does not describe actin interacting with SAPAP; the Core Layer section places SAPAP/GKAP at the interface between core and pallium. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • The dynamic addition of proteins like CaMKII to the pallium during intense synaptic activity demonstrates the PSD's adaptability, influencing spine morphology and receptor trafficking.

    “The dynamic addition of proteins like CaMKII to the pallium during periods of intense synaptic activity further demonstrates the PSD’s adaptability, influencing spine morphology and receptor trafficking [39].”

    From Molecular Physiology of the Neuronal Synapse (2026) · cites this paper as [39]

    The section on activity-induced changes reports CaMKII accumulation at the pallium under intense synaptic activity, and the Conclusion links it to receptor trafficking and the actin cytoskeleton. But the Conclusion says these events *could* synchronize receptor trafficking with changes in spine morphology; the claim presents that influence more definitively than the paper does. (LLM, conf=0.83)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • PSD-95 and related MAGUK molecules form a dense matrix that provides a stable platform for the postsynaptic apparatus, supported by interactions with GKAP.

    “PSD-95, along with other related MAGUK molecules, forms a dense matrix that provides a stable platform for the entire postsynaptic apparatus. This platform is further supported by interactions with proteins like GKAP (guanylate kinase-associated protein), which forms an interface between PSD-95 and deeper PSD layers [39].”

    From Molecular Physiology of the Neuronal Synapse (2026) · cites this paper as [39]

    The Core Layer of the PSD section describes a dense PSD-95/MAGUK matrix capped by GKAPs as a stable platform for the subjacent pallium, with GKAP potentially providing an interface between the core and pallium. The claim extends that platform to the entire postsynaptic apparatus, which the passage does not establish. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Shank3 resides in the pallium of the PSD, just below the core.

    “Shank3 resides in the pallium of the PSD, just below the core (139, 162).”

    From Synaptic memory and CaMKII (2023) · cites this paper as [162]

  • PSD-95 is a major structural component of the PSD core layer, oriented vertically to the postsynaptic membrane, and binds and organizes both AMPA and NMDA glutamate receptors.

    “PSD-95, a prominent member of the MAGUK family, is a major structural component of the PSD core layer [39]. It is oriented vertically to the postsynaptic membrane, strategically positioned to bind and organize both AMPA and NMDA glutamate receptors [40,41].”

    From Molecular Physiology of the Neuronal Synapse (2026) · cites this paper as [39]

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 58

  1. Boeckers T. M. Winter C. Smalla K. H. Kreutz M. R. Bockmann J. Seidenbecher C.. (1999b). Proline-rich synapse-associated proteins ProSAP1 and ProSAP2 interact with synaptic proteins of the SAPAP/GKAP family. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 264, 247– 252. 10.1006/bbrc.1999.1489 10527873 · DOI · Paper page
  2. Burette A. C. Lesperance T. Crum J. Martone M. Volkmann N. Ellisman M. H.. (2012). Electron tomographic analysis of synaptic ultrastructure. J. Comp. Neurol. 520, 2697– 2711. 10.1002/cne.23067 22684938 PMC3856703 · DOI · Paper page
  3. Burette A. C. Park H. Weinberg R. J. (2014). Postsynaptic distribution of IRSp53 in spiny excitatory and inhibitory neurons. J. Comp. Neurol. 522, 2164– 2178. 10.1002/cne.23526 24639075 PMC3997599 · DOI
  4. Chen X. Nelson C. D. Li X. Winters C. A. Azzam R. Sousa A. A.. (2011). PSD-95 is required to sustain the molecular organization of the postsynaptic density. J. Neurosci. 31, 6329– 6338. 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5968-10.2011 21525273 PMC3099547 · DOI
  5. Chen X. Vinade L. Leapman R. D. Petersen J. D. Nakagawa T. Phillips T. M.. (2005). Mass of the postsynaptic density and enumeration of three key molecules. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U S A 102, 11551– 11556. 10.1073/pnas.0505359102 16061821 PMC1182136 · DOI · Paper page
  6. Chen X. Winters C. Azzam R. Li X. Galbraith J. A. Leapman R. D.. (2008). Organization of the core structure of the postsynaptic density. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U S A 105, 4453– 4458. 10.1073/pnas.0800897105 18326622 PMC2393784 · DOI
  7. Collins M. O. Husi H. Yu L. Brandon J. M. Anderson C. N. Blackstock W. P.. (2006). Molecular characterization and comparison of the components and multiprotein complexes in the postsynaptic proteome. J. Neurochem. 97, 16– 23. 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2005.03507.x 16635246 · DOI
  8. Dakoji S. Tomita S. Karimzadegan S. Nicoll R. A. Bredt D. S. (2003). Interaction of transmembrane AMPA receptor regulatory proteins with multiple membrane associated guanylate kinases. Neuropharmacology 45, 849– 856. 10.1016/s0028-3908(03)00267-3 14529722 · DOI
  9. DeRobertis E. D. P. (1964). “ International series of monographs on pure and applied biology. Division, modern trends in physiological sciences,” in Histophysiology of Synapses and Neurosecretion (Vol. 20), eds Alexander P. Bacq Z. M. (Oxford: Pergamon Press), 34– 42.
  10. Dosemeci A. Jaffe H. (2010). Regulation of phosphorylation at the postsynaptic density during different activity states of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 391, 78– 84. 10.1016/j.bbrc.2009.10.167 19896464 PMC2812614 · DOI
  11. Dosemeci A. Makusky A. J. Jankowska-Stephens E. Yang X. Slotta D. J. Markey S. P. (2007). Composition of the synaptic PSD-95 complex. Mol. Cell. Proteomics 6, 1749– 1760. 10.1074/mcp.M700040-MCP200 17623647 PMC2096750 · DOI
  12. Dosemeci A. Toy D. Burch A. Bayer K. U. Tao-Cheng J. H. (2016). CaMKII-mediated displacement of AIDA-1 out of the postsynaptic density core. FEBS Lett. 10.1002/1873-3468.12334 [Epub ahead of print]. 27477489 PMC5014603 · DOI
  13. Dosemeci A. Toy D. Reese T. S. Tao-Cheng J. H. (2015). AIDA-1 moves out of the postsynaptic density core under excitatory conditions. PLoS One 10: e0137216. 10.1371/journal.pone.0137216 26356309 PMC4565644 · DOI
  14. Dosemeci A. Vinade L. Winters C. A. Reese T. S. Tao-Cheng J. H. (2002). Inhibition of phosphatase activity prolongs NMDA-induced modification of the postsynaptic density. J. Neurocytol. 31, 605– 612. 10.1023/A:1025735410738 14501202 · DOI
  15. Erondu N. E. Kennedy M. B. (1985). Regional distribution of type II Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase in rat brain. J. Neurosci. 5, 3270– 3277. 4078628 PMC6565219
  16. Fifková E. (1985). Actin in the nervous system. Brain Res. 356, 187– 215. 10.1016/0165-0173(85)90012-8 3159464 · DOI
  17. Gulley R. L. Reese T. S. (1981). Cytoskeletal organization at the postsynaptic complex. J. Cell Biol. 91, 298– 302. 10.1083/jcb.91.1.298 7197681 PMC2111925 · DOI
  18. Hayashi M. K. Tang C. Verpelli C. Narayanan R. Stearns M. H. Xu R. M.. (2009). The postsynaptic density proteins Homer and Shank form a polymeric network structure. Cell 137, 159– 171. 10.1016/j.cell.2009.01.050 19345194 PMC2680917 · DOI · Paper page
  19. Hell J. W. (2014). CaMKII: claiming center stage in postsynaptic function and organization. Neuron 81, 249– 265. 10.1016/j.neuron.2013.12.024 24462093 PMC4570830 · DOI
  20. Hering H. Sheng M. (2003). Activity-dependent redistribution and essential role of cortactin in dendritic spine morphogenesis. J. Neurosci. 23, 11759– 11769. 14684878 PMC6740953
  21. Hodges J. L. Vilchez S. M. Asmussen H. Whitmore L. A. Horwitz A. R. (2014). α-Actinin-2 mediates spine morphology and assembly of the post-synaptic density in hippocampal neurons. PLoS One 9: e101770. 10.1371/journal.pone.0101770 25007055 PMC4090192 · DOI
  22. Hu B. R. Park M. Martone M. E. Fischer W. H. Ellisman M. H. Zivin J. A. (1998). Assembly of proteins to postsynaptic densities after transient cerebral ischemia. J. Neurosci. 18, 625– 633. 9425004 PMC6792532
  23. Jacob A. L. Jordan B. A. Weinberg R. J. (2010). Organization of amyloid-beta protein precursor intracellular domain-associated protein-1 in the rat brain. J. Comp. Neurol. 518, 3221– 3236. 10.1002/cne.22394 20575057 PMC2894292 · DOI
  24. Jordan B. A. Fernholz B. D. Khatri L. Ziff E. B. (2007). Activity-dependent AIDA-1 nuclear signaling regulates nucleolar numbers and protein synthesis in neurons. Nat. Neurosci. 10, 427– 435. 10.1038/nn1867 17334360 · DOI
  25. Kang J. Park H. Kim E. (2016). IRSp53/BAIAP2 in dendritic spine development, NMDA receptor regulation and psychiatric disorders. Neuropharmacology 100, 27– 39. 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2015.06.019 26275848 · DOI
  26. Kessels M. M. Engqvist-Goldstein A. E. Drubin D. G. (2000). Association of mouse actin-binding protein 1 (mAbp1/SH3P7), an Src kinase target, with dynamic regions of the cortical actin cytoskeleton in response to Rac1 activation. Mol. Biol. Cell 11, 393– 412. 10.1091/mbc.11.1.393 10637315 PMC14781 · DOI
  27. Kim J. H. Liao D. Lau L. F. Huganir R. L. (1998). SynGAP: a synaptic RasGAP that associates with the PSD-95/SAP90 protein family. Neuron 20, 683– 691. 10.1016/s0896-6273(00)81008-9 9581761 · DOI · Paper page
  28. Kim E. Naisbitt S. Hsueh Y. P. Rao A. Rothschild A. Craig A. M.. (1997). GKAP, a novel synaptic protein that interacts with the guanylate kinase- like domain of the PSD-95/SAP90 family of channel clustering molecules. J. Cell Biol. 136, 669– 678. 10.1083/jcb.136.3.669 9024696 PMC2134290 · DOI · Paper page
  29. Landis D. M. Reese T. S. (1983). Cytoplasmic organization in cerebellar dendritic spines. J. Cell Biol. 97, 1169– 1178. 10.1083/jcb.97.4.1169 6684661 PMC2112605 · DOI
  30. Lisman J. Yasuda R. Raghavachari S. (2012). Mechanisms of CaMKII action in long-term potentiation. Nat. Rev. Neurosci. 13, 169– 182. 10.1038/nrn3192 22334212 PMC4050655 · DOI · Paper page
  31. Lowenthal M. S. Markey S. P. Dosemeci A. (2015). Quantitative mass spectrometry measurements reveal stoichiometry of principal postsynaptic density proteins. J. Proteome Res. 14, 2528– 2538. 10.1021/acs.jproteome.5b00109 25874902 PMC5597335 · DOI
  32. Martone M. E. Jones Y. Z. Young S. J. Ellisman M. H. Zivin J. A. Hu B. R. (1999). Modification of postsynaptic densities after transient cerebral ischemia: a quantitative and three-dimensional ultrastructural study. J. Neurosci. 19, 1988– 1997. 10066252 PMC6782552
  33. Naisbitt S. Kim E. Tu J. C. Xiao B. Sala C. Valtschanoff J.. (1999). Shank, a novel family of postsynaptic density proteins that binds to the NMDA receptor/PSD-95/GKAP complex and cortactin. Neuron 23, 569– 582. 10.1016/s0896-6273(00)80809-0 10433268 · DOI · Paper page
  34. Nathan J. A. Kim H. T. Ting L. Gygi S. P. Goldberg A. L. (2013). Why do cellular proteins linked to K63-polyubiquitin chains not associate with proteasomes? EMBO J. 32, 552– 565. 10.1038/emboj.2012.354 23314748 PMC3579138 · DOI
  35. Palay S. L. (1956). Synapses in the central nervous system. J. Biophys. Biochem. Cytol. 2, 193– 202. 10.1083/jcb.2.4.193 13357542 PMC2229686 · DOI
  36. Petersen J. D. Chen X. Vinade L. Dosemeci A. Lisman J. E. Reese T. S. (2003). Distribution of postsynaptic density (PSD)-95 and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II at the PSD. J. Neurosci. 23, 11270– 11278. 14657186 PMC6741048
  37. Petralia R. S. Sans N. Wang Y. X. Wenthold R. J. (2005). Ontogeny of postsynaptic density proteins at glutamatergic synapses. Mol. Cell. Neurosci. 29, 436– 452. 10.1016/j.mcn.2005.03.013 15894489 PMC1414063 · DOI · Paper page
  38. Qualmann B. Boeckers T. M. Jeromin M. Gundelfinger E. D. Kessels M. M. (2004). Linkage of the actin cytoskeleton to the postsynaptic density via direct interactions of Abp1 with the ProSAP/Shank family. J. Neurosci. 24, 2481– 2495. 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5479-03.2004 15014124 PMC6729500 · DOI · Paper page
  39. Racz B. Weinberg R. J. (2004). The subcellular organization of cortactin in hippocampus. J. Neurosci. 24, 10310– 10317. 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2080-04.2004 15548644 PMC6730312 · DOI
  40. Rostaing P. Real E. Siksou L. Lechaire J. P. Boudier T. Boeckers T. M.. (2006). Analysis of synaptic ultrastructure without fixative using high-pressure freezing and tomography. Eur. J. Neurosci. 24, 3463– 3474. 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2006.05234.x 17229095 · DOI
  41. Sala C. Piëch V. Wilson N. R. Passafaro M. Liu G. Sheng M. (2001). Regulation of dendritic spine morphology and synaptic function by Shank and Homer. Neuron 31, 115– 130. 10.1016/s0896-6273(01)00339-7 11498055 · DOI · Paper page
  42. Sala C. Vicidomini C. Bigi I. Mossa A. Verpelli C. (2015). Shank synaptic scaffold proteins: keys to understanding the pathogenesis of autism and other synaptic disorders. J. Neurochem. 135, 849– 858. 10.1111/jnc.13232 26338675 · DOI
  43. Schnell E. Sizemore M. Karimzadegan S. Chen L. Bredt D. S. Nicoll R. A. (2002). Direct interactions between PSD-95 and stargazin control synaptic AMPA receptor number. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U S A 99, 13902– 13907. 10.1073/pnas.172511199 12359873 PMC129795 · DOI · Paper page
  44. Scita G. Confalonieri S. Lappalainen P. Suetsugu S. (2008). IRSp53: crossing the road of membrane and actin dynamics in the formation of membrane protrusions. Trends Cell Biol. 18, 52– 60. 10.1016/j.tcb.2007.12.002 18215522 · DOI
  45. Shonesy B. C. Jalan-Sakrikar N. Cavener V. S. Colbran R. J. (2014). CaMKII: a molecular substrate for synaptic plasticity and memory. Prog. Mol. Biol. Transl. Sci. 122, 61– 87. 10.1016/B978-0-12-420170-5.00003-9 24484698 · DOI
  46. Sugiyama Y. Kawabata I. Sobue K. Okabe S. (2005). Determination of absolute protein numbers in single synapses by a GFP-based calibration technique. Nat. Methods 2, 677– 684. 10.1038/nmeth783 16118638 · DOI · Paper page
  47. Suzuki T. Okumura-Noji K. Tanaka R. Tada T. (1994). Rapid translocation of cytosolic Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II into postsynaptic density after decapitation. J. Neurochem. 63, 1529– 1537. 10.1046/j.1471-4159.1994.63041529.x 7931307 · DOI
  48. Tao-Cheng J. H. Dosemeci A. Gallant P. E. Smith C. Reese T. (2010). Activity induced changes in the distribution of Shanks at hippocampal synapses. Neuroscience 168, 11– 17. 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2010.03.041 20347015 PMC2871978 · DOI · Paper page
  49. Tao-Cheng J. H. Thein S. Yang Y. Reese T. S. Gallant P. E. (2014a). Homer is concentrated at the postsynaptic density and does not redistribute after acute synaptic stimulation. Neuroscience 266, 80– 90. 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.01.066 24530450 PMC3998121 · DOI · Paper page
  50. Tao-Cheng J. H. Yang Y. Bayer K. U. Reese T. S. Dosemeci A. (2014b). NMDA-induced accumulation of Shank at the postsynaptic density is mediated by CaMKII. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 450, 808– 811. 10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.06.049 24952157 PMC4118922 · DOI
  51. Tao-Cheng J. H. Yang Y. Reese T. S. Dosemeci A. (2015). Differential distribution of Shank and GKAP at the postsynaptic density. PLoS One 10: e0118750. 10.1371/journal.pone.0118750 25775468 PMC4361712 · DOI
  52. Thein S. Tao-Cheng J. H. Li Y. Bayer K. U. Reese T. S. Dosemeci A. (2014). CaMKII mediates recruitment and activation of the deubiquitinase CYLD at the postsynaptic density. PLoS One 9: e91312. 10.1371/journal.pone.0091312 24614225 PMC3948843 · DOI
  53. Tu J. C. Xiao B. Naisbitt S. Yuan J. P. Petralia R. S. Brakeman P.. (1999). Coupling of mGluR/Homer and PSD-95 complexes by the Shank family of postsynaptic density proteins. Neuron 23, 583– 592. 10.1016/s0896-6273(00)80810-7 10433269 · DOI
  54. Valtschanoff J. G. Weinberg R. J. (2001). Laminar organization of the NMDA receptor complex within the postsynaptic density. J. Neurosci. 21, 1211– 1217. 11160391 PMC6762240
  55. Walikonis R. S. Oguni A. Khorosheva E. M. Jeng C. J. Asuncion F. J. Kennedy M. B. (2001). Densin-180 forms a ternary complex with the α-subunit of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and α-actinin. J. Neurosci. 21, 423– 433. 11160423 PMC6763799
  56. Xiao B. Tu J. C. Petralia R. S. Yuan J. P. Doan A. Breder C. D.. (1998). Homer regulates the association of group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptors with multivalent complexes of homer-related, synaptic proteins. Neuron 21, 707– 716. 10.1016/s0896-6273(00)80588-7 9808458 · DOI
  57. Yang Y. Tao-Cheng J. H. Reese T. S. Dosemeci A. (2011). SynGAP moves out of the core of the postsynaptic density upon depolarization. Neuroscience 192, 132– 139. 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2011.06.061 21736925 PMC3166368 · DOI
  58. Zhao H. Pykalainen A. Lappalainen P. (2011). I-BAR domain proteins: linking actin and plasma membrane dynamics. Curr. Opin. Cell Biol. 23, 14– 21. 10.1016/j.ceb.2010.10.005 21093245 · DOI

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Dosemeci, A., Weinberg, R. J., Reese, T. S., & Tao-Cheng, J.-H.
Affiliations
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
  • National Institutes of Health (US)
Venue
Frontiers in Synaptic Neuroscience
Published
2016-08-19
Volume
8
Pages
23-23
ISSN
1663-3563 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2510009193
Cited by
138
References
13
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 1
FWCI
6.56
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Frontiers in Synaptic Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Carolina Digital Repository (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • UNC Libraries
Funders
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (intramural, 039444)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Protein Kinase Regulation and GTPase Signaling
Keywords
postsynaptic density, pallium, Homer proteins, CaMKII, synaptic plasticity, synaptic activity, receptor trafficking, dendritic spine remodeling

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review