Molecular Brake Sheds Light on Unusual Signaling Pathway that Orchestrates Synaptic Maturation

Assembly of synaptic active zones requires phase separation of scaffold molecules

The formation of synapses during neuronal development is essential for establishing neural circuits and a nervous system1. Every presynapse builds a core ‘active zone’ structure, where ion channels cluster and synaptic vesicles release their neurotransmitters2. Although the composition of active zones is well characterized2,3, it is unclear how active-zone proteins assemble together and recruit the machinery required for vesicle release during d…

Molecular brake sheds light on unusual signaling pathway that orchestrates synaptic maturation

Researchers from the lab led by Prof. Joris De Wit (VIB-KU Leuven) have discovered an important clue to how connections between brain cells, known as synapses, mature. These new findings, published in Developmental Cell, demonstrate how two different proteins, GPR158 and PLCXD2, interact to form a specific component in developing synapses—the spine apparatus.

Scientists Discover Molecular Brake Controlling Synaptic Maturation

Leuven, 20 May 2025 – Breakthrough research from the laboratory led by Professor Joris De Wit at VIB-KU Leuven has unveiled a critical molecular mechanism governing the maturation of synaptic connections in the brain. These findings, recently published in the prestigious journal Developmental Cell, disclose how a previously uncharacterized interaction between two proteins, GPR158 and PLCXD2, orchestrates the formation of the spine apparatus, an …