Mapping AMPA and NMDA receptors at mouse brain hippocampal synapses by cryo-ET

Adult mouse hippocampal synapses show AMPA receptors mainly in densely packed liquid-like clusters, interspersed with NMDA receptors and adjacent NMDA receptor clusters.

• Why it matters: Synaptic strength and plasticity depend on where receptors sit, but in-situ molecular maps of AMPA and NMDA organization at hippocampal synapses remain limited.
• What they did: They used receptor subunit-specific antibody fragments with multiplexed gold nanoparticle conjugates and cryo-electron tomography to localize individual AMPA and NMDA receptors in adult mouse brain tissue.
• The result: The receptor-resolution maps place AMPA and NMDA at peri/extrasynaptic sites and within endocytosed vesicles, and show receptors are near but not always directly adjacent to glutamate release sites.

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