AMPA receptor trafficking in the developing and mature glutamatergic synapse

The proper development of excitatory synapses is fundamental for the formation of neuronal circuits in the brain. Newly formed glutamatergic synapses undergo a characteristic series of developmental changes that prime synapses to efficiently transmit and encode information in neuronal circuits. One of the most prominent and functionally relevant changes at synapses is the increase in the number of functional AMPA receptors early in development. Over the past decades, important aspects of the cellular processes that govern the assembly, intracellular trafficking, and targeting to synapses of AMPA receptors have been uncovered. Here, we provide an overview of these molecular mechanisms that are fundamental for the proper development of excitatory synapses.