This Research Topic is the second volume of Research Topic "Structural and Quantitative Modeling of Synapses" here.

The field of synaptic research is pivotal in understanding the intricate communication networks within the nervous system. Synapses, the specialized junctions between neurons and their target cells, are essential for neurotransmission. The active zones (AZ) of synapses, characterized by dense aggregates of proteinaceous macromolecules known as active zone material (AZM), play a crucial role in this process. The variability in the size, shape, and distribution of AZM across different synaptic types and species presents a significant challenge in synaptic research. Despite these variations, the fundamental process of neurotransmitter release remains consistent, involving the docking of synaptic vesicles at the presynaptic membrane, calcium channel activation, and subsequent neurotransmitter diffusion across the synaptic cleft eliciting the postsynaptic response. Recent advancements in electron and light microscopy have enabled detailed imaging of synaptic structures at nanometer scales, providing insights into their proteinaceous identity and morphology. However, a gap remains in fully understanding the structure-function relationships at synapses, particularly during development, maturation, and plasticity. This necessitates further investigation into the presynaptic and postsynaptic structures and their dynamic changes.

This research topic aims to advance our understanding of synaptic structure-function relationships by collecting articles exploring synaptic structures and models during development and after maturation. The primary objective is to elucidate the intricate details of synaptic architecture and its functional implications, thereby enhancing our comprehension of synaptic communication and plasticity. Key questions include how synaptic structures evolve during development, how they maintain functionality, and how they adapt during plasticity. The research will also include hypotheses related to the quantitative modeling of synapses, providing a theoretical framework for understanding synaptic dynamics and advanced techniques for visualizing and efficiently characterizing synaptic structures to reveal new synaptic features.

To gather further insights into the structural and quantitative modeling of synapses, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

- Synaptic and/or subsynaptic structures of developing and/or developed synapses imaged by variants of electron microscopy and light microscopy.
- The relationship between active zone material (AZM) and synaptic vesicles in developing and/or developed synapses.
- Postsynaptic and/or sub-postsynaptic structures of developing and/or developed synapses.
- Quantitative models of synapses, including theoretical approaches during and/or after development.
- Advanced techniques for visualization or efficient characterization of synaptic structures towards revealing new synaptic features.

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Frontiers in Synaptic Neuroscience

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