Recent News from the Gray Lab

D-Serine Inhibits Non-ionotropic NMDA Receptor Signaling

Congrats to Eden for her finally published dissertation work!

NMDARs have been found to drive synaptic plasticity via non-ionotropic (ion flux-independent) signaling upon the binding of glutamate in the absence of co-agonist, though conflicting results have led to controversy. Here, we found that D-serine inhibits non-ionotropic NMDAR-mediated long-term depression (LTD) and LTD-associated spine shrinkage. Thus, the developmental regulation of D-serine is likely a determinant of non-ionotropic NMDAR plasticity during critical periods of plasticity. In addition, these findings suggest that a major source of the contradictory findings among labs might be attributed to experimental variability in D-serine availability.  Read the paper here.

Congratulations to Dr. Barragan!

Huge congrats to Eden Barragan who presented her dissertation exit seminar today entitled “D-serine is a Determinant of Non-Ionotropic LTD” on a project that she initiated during the COVID19 pandemic with some incredibly cool results we cannot wait to share.  I am so proud of everything Eden has accomplished in the lab and for her amazing perseverance through both the pandemic and some experimental bad luck.  Congrats Dr. Barragan!