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Abstract:
How neurons control the precise placement and dynamics of proteins at their communication sites is essential to understanding brain function. One emerging mechanism for such spatial organization is liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS), which allows proteins to form dynamic, membraneless assemblies that respond to rapid changes in cellular activity. In this talk, I will introduce how LLPS may contribute to the dynamic organization of molecular assemblies at synapses, including key membrane proteins such as neurotransmitter receptors. To investigate this possibility, super-resolution microscopy—including dSTORM and live-cell DNA-PAINT—is used to visualize the nanoscale distribution and dynamics of these receptors in neurons. These techniques overcome the diffraction limit of light and reveal how receptor positioning responds to neuronal activity. This work highlights how LLPS may serve as a biophysical mechanism for converting transient signals into stable, nanoscale changes in synaptic architecture.