Figure 1: Synaptic CAM complexes are key for synapse development.

An excitatory synapse is drawn roughly to scale, with the pre-synaptic terminal on the left, and the post-synaptic terminal on the right. CAMs are shown in the synaptic cleft, and the events that they instigate are shown, such as pre-synpatic scaffolding (red and cyan scaffolding proteins) of synaptic vesicles (two concentric circles) and calcium channels (purple shapes). On the post-synaptic side, CAMs scaffold the tight clustering of neurotransmitter receptors such as NMDA or AMPA receptors and instigate intracellular signaling events such as G protein-signaling. The post-synaptic density is shown as a blue gradient to indicate that the region is densely packed with molecules. Puncta adherentia towards the edge of the synapse are shown, including the cadherin molecules that mediate symmetric adhesion and their links to the actin cytoskeleton. The image displays only the top half of the synapse for clarity.