Recent Papers
Mitochondria remodel near synapses to boost metabolic capacity and fuel plasticity
Shah, M., Ghosh, I., Ramesh, N. S., Pishos, L., Pancani, T., Villani, V., Yasuda, R., Loomba, S., Sun, C., Kamasawa, N., & Rangaraju, V. (2026). Mitochondria remodel near synapses to boost metabolic capacity and fuel plasticity (p. 2025.08.27.672715). bioRxiv.
Presynaptic α2δs specify synaptic gain, not synaptogenesis, in the mammalian brain.
Milanick, W., Li, J., Thomas, C. I., Al-Yaari, M., Guerrero-Given, D., Kamasawa, N., & Young, S. M. (2025). Presynaptic α2δs specify synaptic gain, not synaptogenesis, in the mammalian brain. Neuron, 113(12), 1886-1897.e9.
Disrupting the transmembrane domain interface between PMP22 and MPZ causes peripheral neuropathy
Pashkova, N., Peterson, T. A., Ptak, C. P., Winistorfer, S. C., Guerrero-Given, D., Kamasawa, N., Ahern, C. A., Shy, M. E., & Piper, R. C. (2024). Disrupting the transmembrane domain interface between PMP22 and MPZ causes peripheral neuropathy. iScience, 110989.
Astrocyte coverage of excitatory synapses correlates to measures of synapse structure and function in ferret primary visual cortex
Thomas, C. I., Ryan, M. A., McNabb, M. C., Kamasawa, N., & Scholl, B. (2024). Astrocyte coverage of excitatory synapses correlates to measures of synapse structure and function in ferret primary visual cortex. Glia.
Postsynaptic mitochondria are positioned to support functional diversity of dendritic spines.
Thomas, C. I., Ryan, M. A., Kamasawa, N., & Scholl, B. (2023). Postsynaptic mitochondria are positioned to support functional diversity of dendritic spines. eLife, 12, RP89682.
Screening Morphological Characteristics of Large Populations of Synaptic Vesicle Clouds and Active Zones from 3D EM Data
Thomas, C. I., Anderson, J. R., Bolton, M., & Kamasawa, N. (2023). Screening Morphological Characteristics of Large Populations of Synaptic Vesicle Clouds and Active Zones from 3D EM Data. Microscopy and Microanalysis: The Official Journal of Microscopy Society of America, Microbeam Analysis Society, Microscopical Society of Canada, 29(29 Suppl 1), 1084–1085.
Presynaptic Rac1 controls synaptic strength through the regulation of synaptic vesicle priming.
Keine, C., Al-Yaari, M., Radulovic, T., Thomas, C. I., Valino Ramos, P., Guerrero-Given, D., Ranjan, M., Taschenberger, H., Kamasawa, N., & Young, S. M., Jr. (2022). Presynaptic Rac1 controls synaptic strength through the regulation of synaptic vesicle priming. ELife, 11, e81505.
Post-developmental plasticity of the primary rod pathway allows restoration of visually guided behaviors.
Cao, Y., Fajardo, D., Guerrero-Given, D., Samuel, M. A., Ohtsuka, T., Boye, S. E., Kamasawa, N., & Martemyanov, K. A. (2022). Post-developmental plasticity of the primary rod pathway allows restoration of visually guided behaviors. Current Biology, 0(0).
Cell Surface Engineering Enables Surfaceome Profiling
Vilen, Z., Reeves, A. E., O’Leary, T. R., Joeh, E., Kamasawa, N., & Huang, M. L. (2022). Cell Surface Engineering Enables Surfaceome Profiling. ACS Chemical Biology.
Gold In-and-Out: A Toolkit for Analyzing Subcellular Distribution of Immunogold-Labeled Membrane Proteins in Freeze-Fracture Replica Images.
Guerrero-Given, D., Goldin, S. L., Thomas, C. I., Anthony, S. A., Jerez, D., & Kamasawa, N. (2022). Gold In-and-Out: A Toolkit for Analyzing Subcellular Distribution of Immunogold-Labeled Membrane Proteins in Freeze-Fracture Replica Images. Frontiers in Neuroanatomy, 16.
Selective activation of BK channels in small-headed dendritic spines suppresses excitatory postsynaptic potentials.
Tazerart, S., Blanchard, M. G., Miranda-Rottmann, S., Mitchell, D. E., Navea Pina, B., Thomas, C. I., Kamasawa, N., & Araya, R. (n.d.). Selective activation of BK channels in small-headed dendritic spines suppresses excitatory postsynaptic potentials. The Journal of Physiology, 600(9), 2165–2187.
A binocular synaptic network supports interocular response alignment in visual cortical neurons
Scholl, B.*, Tepohl, C.*, Ryan, M. A., Thomas, C., Kamasawa, N., & Fitzpatrick, D. (2022). A binocular synaptic network supports interocular response alignment in visual cortical neurons. Neuron, 110, 1–12.
Computational modeling predicts ephemeral acidic microdomains in the glutamatergic synaptic cleft.
Feghhi,T., Hernandez, R.X., Stawarski, M., Thomas, C.I., Kamasawa, N., Lau, A.W.C., Macleod, G.T. Computational modeling predicts ephemeral acidic microdomains in the glutamatergic synaptic cleft. Biophysical Journal, 120(24), 5575-5591.
Adhesion GPCR Latrophilin 3 regulates synaptic function of cone photoreceptors in a trans-synaptic manner.
Wang, Y., Cao, Y., Hays, C.L., Laboute, T., Ray, T.A., Guerrero-Given, D., Ahuja, A.S., Patil, D., Rivero, O., Kamasawa, N., et al. (2021). Adhesion GPCR Latrophilin 3 regulates synaptic function of cone photoreceptors in a trans-synaptic manner. PNAS 118, (45) e2106694118.
Rapid Ultrastructural Changes in the PSD and Surrounding Membrane after induction of structural LTP in Single Dendritic Spines.
Sun, Y., Smirnov, M., Kamasawa, N., Yasuda, R. (2021). Rapid Ultrastructural Changes in the PSD and Surrounding Membrane after induction of structural LTP in Single Dendritic Spines. Journal of Neuroscience 41, 33, 7003-7014.
IgSF11 homophilic adhesion proteins promote layer-specific synaptic assembly of the cortical interneuron subtype
Hayano, Y. Ishino, J. Hyun, C. G. Orozco, A. Steinecke, E. Potts, Y. Oisi, C. I. Thomas, D. Guerrero-Given, E. Kim, H. Kwon, N. Kamasawa, and H. Taniguchi (2021) IgSF11 homophilic adhesion proteins promote layer-specific synaptic assembly of the cortical interneuron subtype. Science Advances 7, 29, eabf1600.
A deep learning approach to identifying immunogold particles in electron microscopy images
Jerez, D., Stuart, E., Schmitt, K., Guerrero-Given, D., Christie, J. M., Hahn, W. E., Kamasawa, N., & Smirnov, M. S. (2021). A deep learning approach to identifying immunogold particles in electron microscopy images. Scientific Reports, 11(1), Article 1.
Cortical response selectivity derives from strength in numbers of synapses
Benjamin Scholl*, Connon I. Thomas*, Melissa A. Ryan, Naomi Kamasawa, David Fitzpatrick (2021). Cortical response selectivity derives from strength in numbers of synapses. Nature 590: 111-114
Targeting Functionally Characterized Synaptic Architecture Using Inherent Fiducials and 3D Correlative Microscopy.
Thomas, C.I., Ryan, M.A., Scholl, B., Guerrero-Given, D., Fitzpatrick, D., and Kamasawa, N. (2020). Targeting Functionally Characterized Synaptic Architecture Using Inherent Fiducials and 3D Correlative Microscopy. Microscopy and Microanalysis 1–14.
ADAP1/Centaurin-α1 negatively regulates dendritic spine function and memory formation in the hippocampus.
Szatmari, E., Moran, C., Cohen, S., Jacob, A., Parra-Bueno, P., Kamasawa, N., Guerrero-Given, D., Klein, M., Stackman, R., and Yasuda, R. (2020). ADAP1/Centaurin-α1 negatively regulates dendritic spine function and memory formation in the hippocampus. ENeuro ENEURO.0111-20.
Interplay between cell-adhesion molecules governs synaptic wiring of cone photoreceptors
Cao, Y., Wang, Y., Dunn, H.A., Orlandi, C., Shultz, N., Kamasawa, N., Fitzpatrick, D., Li, W., Zeitz, C., Hauswirth, W., et al. (2020). Interplay between cell-adhesion molecules governs synaptic wiring of cone photoreceptors. PNAS. 117, 38, 23914-23924.
Correlative Ultrastructural Analysis of Functionally Modulated Synapses Using Automated Tape-Collecting Ultramicrotome and SEM Array Tomography
Sun Y., Thomas C., Mikuni T., Guerrero-Given D., Yasuda R., Kamasawa N. (2020) Correlative Ultrastructural Analysis of Functionally Modulated Synapses Using Automated Tape-Collecting Ultramicrotome and SEM Array Tomography. In: Wacker I., Hummel E., Burgold S., Schröder R. (eds) Volume Microscopy. Neuromethods, vol 155. Humana, New York, NY.
Presynaptic development is controlled by the core active zone proteins CAST/ELKS.
Radulovic T, Dong W, Goral RO, Thomas CI, Veeraraghavan P, Montesinos MS, Guerrero-Given D, Goff K, Lübbert M, Kamasawa N, Ohtsuka T, Young SM Jr. (2020) Presynaptic development is controlled by the core active zone proteins CAST/ELKS. J Physiol. 598(12):2431-2452.
Presynaptic mitochondria volume and abundance increase during development of a high-fidelity synapse
Thomas, C.I., Keine, C., Okayama, S., Satterfield, R., Musgrove, M., Guerrero-Given, D., Kamasawa N, and Young, S.M. (2019). Presynaptic mitochondria volume and abundance increase during development of a high-fidelity synapse. J. Neurosc. 39 (41) 7994-8012.
Caᵥ2.1 α₁ Subunit Expression Regulates Presynaptic Caᵥ2.1 Abundance and Synaptic Strength at a Central Synapse
Lübbert, M., Goral, R.O., Keine, C., Thomas, C., Guerrero-Given, D., Putzke, T., Satterfield, R., Kamasawa, N., and Young, S.M. (2019). CaV2.1 α1 Subunit Expression Regulates Presynaptic CaV2.1 Abundance and Synaptic Strength at a Central Synapse. Neuron 101, 260-273.e6.
Stromalin Constrains Memory Acquisition by Developmentally Limiting Synaptic Vesicle Pool Size
Phan, A., Thomas, C.I., Chakraborty, M., Berry, J.A., Kamasawa, N., and Davis, R.L. (2019). Stromalin Constrains Memory Acquisition by Developmentally Limiting Synaptic Vesicle Pool Size. Neuron 101, 103-118.e5.
CAST/ELKS Proteins Control Voltage-Gated Ca⁺² Channel Density and Synaptic Release Probability at a Mammalian Central Synapse.
Dong, W., Radulovic, T., Goral, R.O., Thomas, C., Suarez Montesinos, M., Guerrero-Given, D., Hagiwara, A., Putzke, T., Hida, Y., Abe, M., Sakimura K., Kamasawa N., Ohtsuka T., Young S.M. Jr. (2018). CAST/ELKS Proteins Control Voltage-Gated Ca2+ Channel Density and Synaptic Release Probability at a Mammalian Central Synapse. Cell Reports 24, 284-293.e6.
LRIT1 Modulates Adaptive Changes in Synaptic Communication of Cone Photoreceptors.
Sarria, I., Cao, Y., Wang, Y., Ingram, N.T., Orlandi, C., Kamasawa, N., Kolesnikov, A.V., Pahlberg, J., Kefalov, V.J., Sampath, A.P., Martemyanov, K.A. (2018). LRIT1 Modulates Adaptive Changes in Synaptic Communication of Cone Photoreceptors. Cell Reports 22, 3562–3573.
Identification of a highly neurotoxic α-synuclein species inducing mitochondrial damage and mitophagy in Parkinson’s disease.
Grassi, D., Howard, S., Zhou, M., Diaz-Perez, N., Urban, N.T., Guerrero-Given, D., Kamasawa, N., Volpicelli-Daley, L.A., LoGrasso, P., and Lasmézas, C.I. (2018). Identification of a highly neurotoxic α-synuclein species inducing mitochondrial damage and mitophagy in Parkinson’s disease. PNAS, 115(11):E2634-E2643.
The number and distribution of AMPA receptor channels containing fast kinetic GluA3 and GluA4 subunits at auditory nerve synapses depend on the target cells.
Rubio, M.E., Matsui, K., Fukazawa, Y., Kamasawa, N., Harada, H., Itakura, M., Molnár, E., Abe, M., Sakimura, K., and Shigemoto, R. (2017). The number and distribution of AMPA receptor channels containing fast kinetic GluA3 and GluA4 subunits at auditory nerve synapses depend on the target cells. Brain Struct Funct. 222, 3375-3393.
The Auxiliary Calcium Channel Subunit α2δ4 Is Required for Axonal Elaboration, Synaptic Transmission, and Wiring of Rod Photoreceptors
Wang, Y., Fehlhaber, K.E., Sarria, I., Cao, Y., Ingram, N.T., Guerrero-Given, D., Throesch, B., Baldwin, K., Kamasawa, N., Ohtsuka, T., et al. (2017). The Auxiliary Calcium Channel Subunit α2δ4 Is Required for Axonal Elaboration, Synaptic Transmission, and Wiring of Rod Photoreceptors. Neuron 93, 1359–1374.e6.
LRIT3 Differentially Affects Connectivity and Synaptic Transmission of Cones to ON- and OFF-Bipolar Cells.
Neuillé, M., Cao, Y., Caplette, R., Guerrero-Given, D., Thomas, C., Kamasawa, N., Sahel, J.-A., Hamel, C.P., Audo, I., Picaud, S., et al. (2017). LRIT3 Differentially Affects Connectivity and Synaptic Transmission of Cones to ON- and OFF-Bipolar Cells. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 58, 1768–1778.
Primary utricle structure of six Halimeda species and potential relevance for ocean acidification tolerance.
Peach, K., Koch, M.S., Blackwelder, P.L., Guerrero-Given, D., and Kamasawa, N. (2017). Primary utricle structure of six Halimeda species and potential relevance for ocean acidification tolerance. Botanica Marina - DE GRUYTER.
Mechanism for Selective Synaptic Wiring of Rod Photoreceptors into the Retinal Circuitry and Its Role in Vision.
Cao, Y., Sarria, I., Fehlhaber, K.E., Kamasawa, N., Orlandi, C., James, K.N., Hazen, J.L., Gardner, M.R., Farzan, M., Lee, A., et al. (2015). Mechanism for Selective Synaptic Wiring of Rod Photoreceptors into the Retinal Circuitry and Its Role in Vision. Neuron 87, 1248–1260.
Heterotypic gap junctions at glutamatergic mixed synapses are abundant in goldfish brain.
Rash, J.E., Kamasawa, N., Vanderpool, K.G., Yasumura, T., O’Brien, J., Nannapaneni, S., Pereda, A.E., and Nagy, J.I. (2015). Heterotypic gap junctions at glutamatergic mixed synapses are abundant in goldfish brain. Neuroscience 285, 166–193.
Nanoscale Distribution of Presynaptic Ca2+ Channels and Its Impact on Vesicular Release during Development.
Nakamura, Y., Harada, H., Kamasawa, N., Matsui, K., Rothman, J.S., Shigemoto, R., Silver, R.A., DiGregorio, D.A., and Takahashi, T. (2015). Nanoscale Distribution of Presynaptic Ca2+ Channels and Its Impact on Vesicular Release during Development. Neuron 85, 145–158.
Target- and input-dependent organization of AMPA and NMDA receptors in synaptic connections of the cochlear nucleus.
Rubio, M.E., Fukazawa, Y., Kamasawa, N., Clarkson, C., Molnar, E., and Shigemoto, R. (2014). Target- and input-dependent organization of AMPA and NMDA receptors in synaptic connections of the cochlear nucleus. J Comp Neurol 522, 4023–4042.
Retrograde Synaptic Signaling Mediated by K+ Efflux through Postsynaptic NMDA Receptors.
Shih, P.-Y., Savtchenko, L.P., Kamasawa, N., Dembitskaya, Y., McHugh, T.J., Rusakov, D.A., Shigemoto, R., and Semyanov, A. (2013). Retrograde Synaptic Signaling Mediated by K+ Efflux through Postsynaptic NMDA Receptors. Cell Reports 5, 941–951.
Molecular and Functional Asymmetry at a Vertebrate Electrical Synapse.
Rash, J.E., Curti, S., Vanderpool, K.G., Kamasawa, N., Nannapaneni, S., Palacios-Prado, N., Flores, C.E., Yasumura, T., O’Brien, J., Lynn, B.D., et al. (2013). Molecular and Functional Asymmetry at a Vertebrate Electrical Synapse. Neuron 79, 957–969.
Quantitative localization of Caᵥ2.1 (P/Q-type) voltage-dependent calcium channels in Purkinje cells: somatodendritic gradient and distinct somatic coclustering with calcium-activated potassium channels.
Indriati DW, Kamasawa N, Matsui K, Meredith AL, Watanabe M, Shigemoto R. (2013) Quantitative localization of Cav2.1 (P/Q-type) voltage-dependent calcium channels in Purkinje cells: somatodendritic gradient and distinct somatic coclustering with calcium-activated potassium channels. J Neurosci. 33:3668-78.
Evaluation of glutamate concentration transient in the synaptic cleft of the rat calyx of Held.
Budisantoso T, Harada H, Kamasawa N, Fukazawa Y, Shigemoto R, Matsui K. (2012) Evaluation of glutamate concentration transient in the synaptic cleft of the rat calyx of Held. J Physiol. 591:219-39.
Connexin Composition in Apposed Gap Junction Hemiplaques Revealed by Matched Double-Replica Freeze-Fracture Replica Immunogold Labeling.
Rash, J.E., Kamasawa, N., Davidson, K.G.V., Yasumura, T., Pereda, A.E., and Nagy, J.I. (2012). Connexin Composition in Apposed Gap Junction Hemiplaques Revealed by Matched Double-Replica Freeze-Fracture Replica Immunogold Labeling. J Membr Biol 245, 333–344.
Regulators of G protein signaling RGS7 and RGS11 determine the onset of the light response in ON bipolar neurons.
Cao, Y., Pahlberg, J., Sarria, I., Kamasawa, N., Sampath, A.P., and Martemyanov, K.A. (2012). Regulators of G protein signaling RGS7 and RGS11 determine the onset of the light response in ON bipolar neurons. PNAS 109, 7905–7910.
Mechanisms Underlying Signal Filtering at a Multisynapse Contact.
Budisantoso, T., Matsui, K., Kamasawa, N., Fukazawa, Y., and Shigemoto, R. (2012). Mechanisms Underlying Signal Filtering at a Multisynapse Contact. J. Neurosci. 32, 2357–2376
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