# Receptor Trafficking **Domain:** Molecular Neuroscience / Synaptic Plasticity **Doc Type:** Scientific Concept Node **Maturity:** Established **Related:** [[Synaptic Ensemble]], [[Neural Plasticity]], [[U3 Molecular Data Classes]] --- ## Definition **Receptor trafficking** is the transport, insertion, removal, recycling, and degradation of receptors at cellular membranes. At synapses, receptor availability can change synaptic strength and responsiveness without altering the existence of the anatomical connection. ## Continuity relevance A structural graph may show that two cells connect while missing the receptor composition and trafficking state that determine how the connection behaves.