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Dendrites are master integrators of information flow
in the brain and the sites of postsynaptic structural
modifications that regulate the plasticity of synapse
strength in response to neurotransmission. Recent
data suggest that dendrites are also an important site
for the dynamic regulation of localized gene expression
in the nervous system, with subsets of synapses possessing the ability to independently alter synapse strength
through the local synthesis of proteins. An important
component to this regulation is the active transport of a
select group of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) from the
cell body into dendrites and targeting of these mRNAs
to specific translation sites. Since several long-lasting
forms of plasticity require protein synthesis, synaptic
stimulation appears to be an important mechanism for
the regulation of mRNA trafficking within dendrites.
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