Synaptic vesicle proteins and regulated exocytosis.

The recent identification of novel proteins associated with the membranes of synaptic vesicles has ignited the field of molecular neurobiology to probe the function of these molecules. Evidence is mounting that the vesicle proteins vamp (synaptobrevin), rab3A, synaptophysin, synaptotagmin (p65) and SV2 play an important role in regulated exocytosis, by regulating neurotransmitter uptake, vesicle targeting and fusion with the presynaptic plasma membrane.