ABSTRACT
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has made numerous contributions to the prosperity of China. However, the phytochemicals of TCM are complex, and there are significant differences in relative content. The material basis of TCM has restricted the modernization of TCM. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) combines the high separation performance of chromatography and the high sensitivity of mass spectrometry. It has been widely used in the analysis of natural medicines and can greatly promote the development of TCM. Many studies have focused on the comprehensive characterization of phytochemicals, building a strategy for the rapid, accurate and systematic analysis of the chemical components of TCM through the integration of different mass spectrometric techniques, and laying the foundation for quality control and rational utilization of TCM.
ABSTRACT
In the central nervous system, ionotropic AMPA receptors mediate the majority of the fast excitatory synaptic transmission.Trafficking of AMPA receptors into and out of synapses is a highly dynamic process, which plays a key role in synaptic plasticity that is critical for higher brain functions such as learning and memory. Genetic alterations in AMPA receptor or proteins that regulate AMPA receptors trafficking have been implicated in various diseases, including autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, Alzheimer′s disease, and intellectual disability. Thus, elucidating the regulation of AMPA trafficking and function is vital to understanding higher brain functions. Many studies have used live imaging of fluorescently tagged AMPA receptors to directly monitor their membrane trafficking in real time,but most of these studies were performed in vitro using neuronal cell cultures or brain slices.Recent technological advances have allowed the imaging of synaptic proteins in vivo in intact organisms, which enables the visualization of synaptic plasticity at a molecular level in living animals.In this review, we mainly discuss the latest development in AMPA receptors trafficking studies and elucidate the contributions of receptor imaging in vitro and in vivo to understanding the molecular mechanisms under-lying synaptic plasticity.