Synapsins (Syns) are phosphoproteins strongly involved in neuronal development and neurotransmitter release. Three distinct genes SYN1, SYN2 and SYN3, with elevated evolutionary conservation, have been described to encode for Synapsin I, Synapsin II and Synapsin III, respectively.

Syns display a series of common features, but also exhibit distinctive localization, expression pattern, post-translational modifications (PTM). These characteristics enable their interaction with other synaptic proteins, membranes and cytoskeletal components, which is essential for the proper execution of their multiple functions in neuronal cells. These include the control of synapse formation and growth, neuron maturation and renewal, as well as synaptic vesicle mobilization, docking, fusion, recycling. Perturbations in the balanced expression of Syns, alterations of their PTM, mutations and polymorphisms of their encoding genes induce severe dysregulations in brain networks functions leading to the onset of psychiatric or neurological disorders.

This review presents what we have learned since the discovery of Syn I in 1977, providing the state of the art on Syns structure, function, physiology and involvement in central nervous system disorders.

突触蛋白 (Syns) 是与神经元发育和神经递质释放密切相关的磷蛋白。三个不同的基因SYN1、SYN2和SYN3，具有升高的进化保守性，已被描述为分别编码突触蛋白 I、突触蛋白 II 和突触蛋白 III。

Syns 具有一系列共同特征，但也表现出独特的定位、表达模式、翻译后修饰 (PTM)。这些特性使其能够与其他突触蛋白、膜和细胞骨架成分相互作用，这对于它们在神经元细胞中正确执行多种功能至关重要。这些包括控制突触形成和生长、神经元成熟和更新，以及突触小泡动员、对接、融合、再循环。Syns 平衡表达的扰动、其 PTM 的改变、其编码基因的突变和多态性会导致大脑网络功能的严重失调，导致精神或神经系统疾病的发作。

这篇综述介绍了自 1977 年发现 Syn I 以来我们所学到的知识，提供了 Syns 结构、功能、生理学和中枢神经系统疾病参与的最新技术。