Nomadic AMPA Receptors and LTP Miguel Morales, Yukiko Goda  Neuron  Volume 23, Issue 3, Pages 431-434 (July 1999) DOI: 10.1016/S0896-6273(00)80797-7

Figure 1 A Scheme for the Movement of AMPA Receptors during LTP The distribution of GluR1 containing AMPA receptors is shown according to Shi et al. 1999. The GluR1-AMPA receptors (green olives) are mostly localized intracellularly in the dendritic shaft, but some are present in the spine, and a few are associated with the postsynaptic density (PSD, blue ribbon). A tetanic stimulus that is sufficient for activating NMDA receptors and inducing LTP (big red olive), produces a rapid redistribution of GluR1-AMPA receptors. Some of the receptors are delivered to spines and reach the surface contributing to an increase in synaptic currents. Others become clustered at the base of the spines (shown at the left part of the spine). The function of these clusters is unknown; the clusters may be a reserve pool or an intermediate step in the delivery to the PSD. Once inserted into the PSD, the newly delivered AMPA receptors may be stabilized by binding to proteins that provide a link to the cytoskeletal elements. Neuron 1999 23, 431-434DOI: (10.1016/S0896-6273(00)80797-7)