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Science 25 October 2002:
Vol. 298. no. 5594, pp. 770 - 776
DOI: 10.1126/science.1075510

Review

The Developing Synapse: Construction and Modulation of Synaptic Structures and Circuits

Susana Cohen-Cory

Synapse formation and stabilization in the vertebrate central nervous system is a dynamic process, requiring bi-directional communication between pre- and postsynaptic partners. Numerous mechanisms coordinate where and when synapses are made in the developing brain. This review discusses cellular and activity-dependent mechanisms that control the development of synaptic connectivity.

Mental Retardation Research Center, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. E-mail: scohenco{at}ucla.edu
Present address: Department of Neurology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.


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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)