SYT1 and spinal muscular atrophy: We also assayed SYT1 levels since this protein acts as a key regulator for synaptic vesicle exocytosis and endocytosis, regulating their docking in response to the presence of calcium58 and because it has already been associated with synaptic transmission defects in another murine model of a MN disease, Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)59.