Figure 2.

The hypothesized coupling between activity and local translation mediated by the interaction between Slack K⁺ channels and FMRP in the neurosecretory bag cells of Aplysia. (A) Silent neurons. FMRP inhibits local translation by binding to polyribosomes. (B) Bursting neurons. During bursting behavior (prolonged activity known as afterdischarge), Slack channels activated by depolarization trigger dissociation of FMRP from polyribosomes and mRNA, permitting initiation of translation. This locally initiated translation may mediate recovery from refractoriness at the end of afterdischarge. (Model based on results from [9].)