Gephyrin is a pivotal postsynaptic scaffolding protein crucial for organizing inhibitory neurotransmission in the central nervous system. It anchors glycine receptors (GlyRs) and a subset of GABAA receptors at synaptic sites, ensuring the clustering and stability of these neurotransmitter receptors. Gephyrin's role extends beyond structural support; it participates in synaptic plasticity and modulates inhibitory signaling, impacting neural circuit function.
Gephyrin antibodies are essential tools in neuroscience research, widely used to study inhibitory synapse architecture, receptor trafficking, and synaptic dysfunction in neurological disorders. These antibodies enable visualization of gephyrin distribution via immunocytochemistry, immunohistochemistry, and super-resolution microscopy. They also facilitate quantitative analysis through Western blotting or immunoprecipitation.
Research using gephyrin antibodies has linked its dysregulation to conditions like epilepsy, autism spectrum disorders, and Alzheimer’s disease. For instance, reduced gephyrin levels correlate with diminished inhibitory signaling in seizure models, while mutations in gephyrin-related genes are associated with neurodevelopmental defects. Species-specific antibodies (e.g., targeting human, mouse, or rat gephyrin) allow cross-species comparative studies.
Commercial gephyrin antibodies are typically raised against conserved epitopes, such as the central G-domain or N-terminal regions. Validation includes knockout tissue controls and colocalization studies with synaptic markers. Their applications span basic neurobiology, drug discovery, and diagnostic research, underscoring gephyrin's centrality in maintaining inhibitory synaptic integrity.