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Cryo-EM Uncovers Structure of Key Receptors in Brain’s Cerebellum

Detailing how glutamate receptors cluster at cerebellar synapses to coordinate movement and cognition, the study points toward new paths for repairing damaged neural connections.

The study reveals the organization of a specific type of glutamate receptor -- a chemical neurotransmitter that conveys signals between neurons and is considered the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain -- bound together with proteins clustered on synapses, or junctions, between neurons in the cerebellum. Credit: Neuroscience News

Overview

  • Using Oregon Health & Science University’s cryo-electron microscopy facility, researchers resolved the near-atomic structure of calcium-permeable AMPA-type glutamate receptors in rodent cerebellum synapses for the first time.
  • The work maps how receptors assemble with auxiliary proteins such as TARPs and Noelin 1 to form precise clusters at synaptic junctions that detect neurotransmitter signals.
  • Published in Nature on June 23, 2025, the study provides the first molecular visualization of native cerebellar glutamate receptors and fills a critical gap in synapse architecture.
  • Funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the research highlights the value of sustained support for foundational neuroscience investigations.
  • By revealing synaptic organization at the molecular level, the findings could guide development of therapies aimed at restoring motor and cognitive functions after injury or genetic disruption.