Synaptophysin (a presynaptic vesicle protein) is an integral membrane glycoprotein originally isolated from presynaptic vesicles of bovine neurons. Synaptophysin is found in all nerve terminals and synaptophysin measurements have been used to quantify the number of terminals present during neuroanatomical remodeling and neural development (1). Accumulation of beta Amyloid and loss of synapses are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease.
-Immunocytochemistry-Immunofluorescence-NB110-57606-img0003.jpg "Immunocytochemistry/Immunofluorescence: Synaptophysin Antibody")
How synaptic activity relates to beta Amyloid accumulation and loss of synapses is a current topic of major interest. Synaptic activation has been documented to promote beta Amyloid secretion, and chronic reduction of synaptic activity in mouse models demonstrated that inhibition of synaptic activity reduces plaque burden but increases immunoreactivity of beta Amyloid within neurons and exacerbates loss of synaptophysin in Alzheimer's disease transgenic mice as detected by synaptophysin antibodies (2). Increased levels of synaptophysin have also been detected by Western blotting using synaptophysin antibodies in several mouse models of Alzheimer's disease (3). While in humans increased synaptophysins levels were related to the changes in the density of dendritic spines and synaptophysin-immunoreactive granules in the frontal cortex of infantile brain damage (4). Synaptophysin immunoreactivity by synaptophysin antibodies has been identified as a useful marker for synaptic density in many studies and investigations related to synaptophysin will be a powerful tool in understanding of neuronal development and remodeling in several brain disorders. Novus Biologicals offers a wide range of synaptophysin related products, including monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, recombinant proteins, ELISA kits, protein lysates and RNAi products for your research needs.
Novus Biologicals offers synaptophysin reagents for your research needs including:
