Figure 8
From: Transient ECM protease activity promotes synaptic plasticity
Transient ECM protease activity promotes synaptic plasticity.
Proteolytic activity per se initiates the promotion of structural and functional plasticity, which requires subsequent endogenous enzymatic inhibition to be concluded. Thus, spines first become elongated based on MMP activity. Subsequently, extracellular proteolysis is terminated (due to TIMP-1), resulting in dendritic spine growth that is expressed as expansion of its head and the incorporation of AMPARs to previously silent synapses, a process that is required for LTP maintenance.
