Synaptic adhesion molecules not only provide a physical link between pre- and post-synaptic membranes, but also contribute to synaptic differentiation and plasticity by organizing functional elements, in particular neurotransmitter receptors. The wealth of existing adhesive protein families including many isoforms and splice variants, calls for systematic identification of the levels and exchange rates of each of those protein members at specific synapse types. Complementary to electron microscopy to identify individual synaptic contacts and biochemistry to reveal protein-protein interactions, recent super-resolution light microscopy methods combined with appropriate fluorescent labeling provide a way to measure the dynamics and sub-micron organization of selective molecular components, and their inter-relations at the synapse. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on the dynamics, nanoscale localization, and function of key synaptic adhesion complexes.

突触粘附分子不仅提供突触前和突触后膜之间的物理联系，而且通过组织功能元件，特别是神经递质受体，有助于突触的分化和可塑性。现有的粘着蛋白家族（包括许多同工型和剪接变体）丰富，要求系统地鉴定特定突触类型中每个蛋白成员的水平和交换率。与电子显微镜相辅相成，以识别单个突触接触和生物化学以揭示蛋白质与蛋白质的相互作用，最近的超高分辨率光学显微镜方法与适当的荧光标记相结合，提供了一种方法来测量选择性分子成分及其相互之间的动力学和亚微米组织突触的关系。在这篇评论中，