Scheme 1. Scheme (Not to Scale) Illustrating the General Experimental Protocol Used in This Work To Observe the “Synaptic Boutons” Formed on SS-BLM/Beads.

Fluorescently labeled secondary antibodies that bind specifically to synaptophysin primary antibodies via an immunostaining protocol were used primarily to follow the formation of the “synaptic boutons”. This particular sketch depicts a “positive staining” for synaptophysin (seen in synaptic vesicle membranes). In the case of “negative staining”, the experimental steps remain the same except that synaptic vesicle (small red circles) accumulation will be absent, and thus no fluorescence will be observed around the beads.