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Molecular Synapse: Diversity, Function and Signaling
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Molecular Synapse: Diversity, Function and Signaling

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Neurobiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2026 | Viewed by 1867

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Leonora Balaj

grade E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
Interests: role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) and their potential as carriers of biomolecules relevant to disease detection, progression as well as potential therapeutics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Synaptic signaling is the process by which neurons communicate at synapses, transmitting signals via chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. It underpins information processing in the brain and is governed by complex molecular dynamics that control the speed, precision and, critically, plasticity of neuronal communication. This involves the ultrafast choreography of presynaptic proteins to release neurotransmitters, as well as the rapid, regulated movement of receptors and scaffolds in the postsynaptic membrane. More recently, it has become clear that synapses are highly diverse in their protein composition, both across and within cell types. New approaches are needed to visualize, dissect and understand the complex machinery of synaptic signaling. This Special Issue will be of interest to basic and clinical researchers studying the molecular and dynamic aspects of synaptic signaling and its disruptions under disease conditions, including theoretical (computational modeling) applications.

Dr. Leonora Balaj
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Publisher’s Notice

The original Guest Editor for the Special Issue “Molecular Synapse: Diversity, Function and Signaling”, Dr. Oksana Sorokina, has been replaced by a new Guest Editor, Dr. Leonora Balaj, on 29 January 2026. This change has been approved by an Editorial Board Member, agreed upon by the Editorial Office, and this Special Issue website has been updated accordingly. The Special Issue will continue to be handled by the new Guest Editor in accordance with MDPI's Special Issue and editorial policies.

Keywords

  • synaptic signaling
  • synaptic plasticity
  • brain disorders
  • synapse diversity
  • molecular composition of synapse

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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23 pages, 5707 KB  
Article
Neurogranin Promotes Neuronal Maturation and Network Activity Through Ca2+/Calmodulin Signaling
by Elena Martínez-Blanco, Raquel de Andrés, Esperanza López-Merino, José A. Esteban and Francisco Javier Díez-Guerra
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(7), 3306; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27073306 - 6 Apr 2026
Viewed by 431
Abstract
Neurogranin (Ng) is a postsynaptic calmodulin-binding protein highly enriched in forebrain neurons and widely implicated in synaptic plasticity. However, whether Ng contributes more broadly to neuronal network maturation and cellular homeostasis remains unclear. Here, we examined the consequences of silencing or restoring Ng [...] Read more.
Neurogranin (Ng) is a postsynaptic calmodulin-binding protein highly enriched in forebrain neurons and widely implicated in synaptic plasticity. However, whether Ng contributes more broadly to neuronal network maturation and cellular homeostasis remains unclear. Here, we examined the consequences of silencing or restoring Ng to adult physiological levels in primary hippocampal neurons. Ng expression promoted dendritic expansion, increased synaptic number, and shifted the axon initial segment toward the soma, consistent with structural adaptations to enhanced connectivity. Calcium (Ca2+) imaging revealed a marked increase in spontaneous neuronal activity and network synchronization, which was confirmed by electrophysiological recordings showing enhanced burst firing and spike synchrony. At the molecular level, Ng altered Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM) signaling by increasing total CaM levels, reducing Ca2+/CaM-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) abundance while increasing its relative autophosphorylation, and downscaling specific ionotropic glutamate receptors. Despite elevated network activity, Ng expression enhanced neuronal metabolic competence and viability, reduced cellular stress signaling and induced modest caspase-3 activation without engagement of apoptotic pathways. Together, these results indicate that Ng promotes neuronal maturation and coordinated network activity while engaging compensatory mechanisms that preserve excitatory balance and neuronal resilience. Our findings identify Ng as a molecular integrator linking Ca2+/CaM signaling with the structural and functional maturation of neuronal networks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Synapse: Diversity, Function and Signaling)
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33 pages, 1141 KB  
Review
The Protonic Brain: Nanoscale pH Dynamics, Proton Wires, and Acid–Base Information Coding in Neural Tissue
by Valentin Titus Grigorean, Catalina-Ioana Tataru, Cosmin Pantu, Felix-Mircea Brehar, Octavian Munteanu and George Pariza
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(2), 560; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27020560 - 6 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1095
Abstract
Emerging research indicates that neuronal activity is maintained by an architectural system of protons in a multi-scale fashion. Proton architecture is formed when organelles (such as mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes, synaptic vesicles, etc.) are coupled together to produce dynamic energy domains. Techniques have [...] Read more.
Emerging research indicates that neuronal activity is maintained by an architectural system of protons in a multi-scale fashion. Proton architecture is formed when organelles (such as mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes, synaptic vesicles, etc.) are coupled together to produce dynamic energy domains. Techniques have been developed to visualize protons in neurons; recent advances include near-atomic structural imaging of organelle interfaces using cryo-tomography and nanoscale resolution imaging of organelle interfaces and proton tracking using ultra-fast spectroscopy. Results of these studies indicate that protons in neurons do not diffuse randomly throughout the neuron but instead exist in organized geometric configurations. The cristae of mitochondrial cells create oscillating proton micro-domains that are influenced by the curvature of the cristae, hydrogen bonding between molecules, and localized changes in dielectric properties that result in time-patterned proton signals that can be used to determine the metabolic load of the cell and the redox state of its mitochondria. These proton patterns also communicate to the rest of the cell via hydrated aligned proton-conductive pathways at the mitochon-dria-endoplasmic reticulum junctions, through acidic lipid regions, and through nano-tethered contact sites between mitochondria and other organelles, which are typically spaced approximately 10–25 nm apart. Other proton architectures exist in lysosomes, endosomes, and synaptic vesicles. In each of these organelles, the V-ATPase generates steep concentration gradients across their membranes, controlling the rate of cargo removal from the lumen of the organelle, recycling receptors from the surface of the membrane, and loading neurotransmitters into the vesicles. Recent super-resolution pH mapping has indicated that populations of synaptic vesicles contain significant heterogeneity in the amount of protons they contain, thereby influencing the amount of neurotransmitter released per vesicle, the probability of vesicle release, and the degree of post-synaptic receptor protonation. Additionally, proton gradients in each organelle interact with the cytoskeleton: the protonation status of actin and microtubules influences filament stiffness, protein–protein interactions, and organelle movement, resulting in the formation of localized spatial structures that may possess some type of computational significance. At multiple scales, it appears that neurons integrate the proton micro-domains with mechanical tension fields, dielectric nanodomains, and phase-state transitions to form distributed computing elements whose behavior is determined by the integration of energy flow, organelle geometry, and the organization of soft materials. Alterations to the proton landscape in neurons (e.g., due to alterations in cristae structure, drift in luminal pH, disruption in the hydration-structure of the cell, or imbalance in the protonation of cytoskeletal components) could disrupt the intracellular signaling network well before the onset of measurable electrical or biochemical pathologies. This article will summarize evidence indicating that proton–organelle interaction provides a previously unknown source of energetic substrate for neural computation. Using an integrated approach combining nanoscale proton energy, organelle interface geometry, cytoskeletal mechanics, and AI-based multiscale models, this article outlines current principles and unresolved questions related to the subject area as well as possible new approaches to early detection and precise intervention of pathological conditions related to altered intracellular energy flow. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Synapse: Diversity, Function and Signaling)
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