Table 1.

Effects of overexpression or loss of cadherins and catenins on synapse morphogenesis and plasticity

	N-cadherin	β-catenin	αN-catenin	p120ctn
Spine morphology	DN: Filopodia-like elongation, bifurcation of spine head [53] LOF: (siRNA knockdown) DIV 6−12: Decrease in spine density; DIV 14−18: no alterations in spine density [56] LOF (CRE-mediated recombination): No alterations in spines [57]	LOF: Thin, elongated spines, reduced mushroom spines, no change in density [35]	LOF: Enhanced spine motility [36] OE: Promotes spine stability and increase in density [36]	LOF (DIV 10−14): Reduction in spine density, headwidth and length [37] LOF (DIV 14−17): No change in overall number of protrusions, decreased number of mature spines, increased protrusion length, decreased headwidth, increase in number of longer protrusions [37] OE: Filopodia-like elongation, no mature mushroom-shaped spine heads [37]
Postsynaptic organization	DN: Reduction in psd95 puncta, diffuse distribution of psd95 in dendrites LOF: (siRNA knockdown) Decrease in frequency of mEPSCs [56]	LOF: No change in psd95 [31]	LOF: No change in density of spines and synapsin-positive puncta, but slight reduction in synapsin-positive spines [36]	LOF: Decrease in psd95 density [37]
Presynaptic organization	DN: Reduction in synapsin puncta, diffused distribution of synapsin in axons [53]	DN: Diffused synaptic vesicle localization [31]	??	LOF: Decrease in synaptophysin density [37]
Synapse function	DN: Reduced synaptic vesicle recycling [53]	LOF: Reduced amplitude of spontaneous events, no change in frequency, block in quantum scaling associated with inhibition of synaptic activity [35]	??	LOF: ??

Abbreviations: DN, dominant negative; LOF, loss of function; OE, overexpression.