Formal Definition of A Retrograde Neurotransmitter
In 2009, Regehr et al. proposed criteria for defining retrograde neurotransmitters. According to their work, a signaling molecule can be considered a retrograde neurotransmitter if it satisfies all of the following criteria:
- The appropriate machinery for synthesizing and releasing the retrograde messenger must be located in the postsynaptic neuron
- Disrupting the synthesis and/or release of the messenger from the postsynaptic neuron must prevent retrograde signaling
- The appropriate targets for the retrograde messenger must be located in the presynaptic bouton
- Disrupting the targets for the retrograde messenger in the presynaptic boutons must eliminate retrograde signaling
- Exposing the presynaptic bouton to the messenger should mimic retrograde signaling provided the presence of the retrograde messenger is sufficient for retrograde signaling to occur
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- In cases where the retrograde messenger is not sufficient, pairing the other factor(s) with the retrograde signal should mimic the phenomenon
Read more about this topic: Retrograde Signaling In LTP
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