101
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Ross WN, Nakamura T, Watanabe S, Larkum M, Lasser-Ross N. Synaptically activated ca2+ release from internal stores in CNS neurons. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2005; 25:283-95. [PMID: 16047542 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-005-3060-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Synaptically activated postsynaptic [Ca2+]i increases occur through three main pathways: Ca2+ entry through voltage-gated Ca2+ channels, Ca2+ entry through ligand-gated channels, and Ca2+ release from internal stores. The first two pathways have been studied intensively; release from stores has been the subject of more recent investigations. Ca2+ release from stores in CNS neurons primarily occurs as a result of IP3 mobilized by activation of metabotropic glutamatergic and/or cholingergic receptors coupled to PLC. Ca2+ release is localized near spines in Purkinje cells and occurs as a wave in the primary apical dendrites of pyramidal cells in the hippocampus and cortex. The amplitude of the [Ca2+]i increase can reach several micromolar, significantly larger than the increase due to backpropagating spikes. The large amplitude, long duration, and unique location of the [Ca2+]i increases due to Ca2+ release from stores suggests that these increases can affect specific downstream signaling mechanisms in neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- William N Ross
- Department of Physiology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York 10595, USA.
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102
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Abstract
Shapes of dendritic spines are changed by various physiological or pathological states. The high degree of spine shape heterogeneity suggests that they would be the morphological basis for synaptic plasticity. An increasing number of proteins and signal transduction pathways have recently been shown to be associated with structural modifications of spines. Here, we review the possible functional roles of spine shapes in cerebellar Purkinje neurons. Several studies have suggested that spine shapes in Purkinje cells are regulated by both intrinsic and environmental factors, and different spine shapes could have significantly different consequences for brain function. Clearly constricted necks observed in thin, mushroom-shaped, and branched spines serve for compartmentalization of calcium and other second messenger molecules, influencing different signaling mechanisms and synaptic plasticity. Mushroom-shaped spines frequently have perforated postsynaptic density and the area of the spine head is much larger than simple spines, implying that membrane dynamics and receptor turnover are occurring. Branched spines might form additional synapses with afferent inputs resulting in the modification of neuronal circuits. Taken together, all these studies suggest that each spine shape is likely to have a distinct role in Purkinje cell function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kea Joo Lee
- Department of Anatomy, Division of Brain Korea 21 Project for Biomedical Science, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
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103
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Lin JW, Fu Q, Allana T. Probing the endogenous Ca2+ buffers at the presynaptic terminals of the crayfish neuromuscular junction. J Neurophysiol 2005; 94:377-86. [PMID: 15985697 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00617.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Ca2+ indicators of varying affinity and mobility were pressure injected into the presynaptic axon of the inhibitor of the crayfish neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Fluorescence transients recorded at a 2-kHz resolution were used to probe physiological parameters governing the decay of fluorescence transients within 100 ms after an action potential (early decay). Blocking Ca2+ extrusion or Ca2+ sequestration processes did not significantly alter early decay, arguing against a role for either mechanism. Fluorescence transients recorded with low mobility or fixed indicators exhibited early decay similar to that recorded with indicators of comparable affinity but high mobility, suggesting that early decay was not due to the rate of Ca2+-indicator diffusion. The extent of early decay correlated closely with the affinity, but not mobility, of the Ca2+ sensitive dyes tested. These results implicate intrinsic buffers with slow Ca2+ binding kinetics as the most likely determinants of early decay. However, computer simulations showed that intrinsic buffers with a slow binding rate are unlikely to be the only ones present in the system because the slow kinetics would be unable to buffer incoming Ca2+ during an action potential and would result in momentary indicator saturation. In fact, experimental data show that the peak amplitude of an action potential activated Ca+ transient is about 20% of the maximal fluorescence intensity activated by prolonged Ca2+ influx. We conclude that endogenous buffering at the crayfish NMJ includes both fast and slow components, the former being fast enough to compete with fast Ca2+ indicators, and the latter dictating the early decay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jen-Wei Lin
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington St., Boston, Massachuetts 02215, USA.
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104
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Abstract
Dendritic spines are tiny protrusions on dendritic shafts where most excitatory synapses are located. Recent advances in imaging technologies have given us great insight into the function of spines as biochemical compartments. Here we review recent evidence suggesting that the geometry of dendritic spines controls postsynaptic calcium signaling and is bidirectionally regulated during synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasunori Hayashi
- RIKEN-MIT Neuroscience Research Center, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
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105
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Noguchi J, Matsuzaki M, Ellis-Davies GCR, Kasai H. Spine-neck geometry determines NMDA receptor-dependent Ca2+ signaling in dendrites. Neuron 2005; 46:609-22. [PMID: 15944129 PMCID: PMC4151245 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2005.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 318] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2004] [Revised: 02/03/2005] [Accepted: 03/11/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Increases in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) mediated by NMDA-sensitive glutamate receptors (NMDARs) are important for synaptic plasticity. We studied a wide variety of dendritic spines on rat CA1 pyramidal neurons in acute hippocampal slices. Two-photon uncaging and Ca2+ imaging revealed that NMDAR-mediated currents increased with spine-head volume and that even the smallest spines contained a significant number of NMDARs. The fate of Ca2+ that entered spine heads through NMDARs was governed by the shape (length and radius) of the spine neck. Larger spines had necks that permitted greater efflux of Ca2+ into the dendritic shaft, whereas smaller spines manifested a larger increase in [Ca2+]i within the spine compartment as a result of a smaller Ca2+ flux through the neck. Spine-neck geometry is thus an important determinant of spine Ca2+ signaling, allowing small spines to be the preferential sites for isolated induction of long-term potentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Noguchi
- Department of Cell Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences and Graduate University of Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Myodaiji, Okazaki 444-8787, Japan
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106
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Knafo S, Libersat F, Barkai E. Olfactory learning-induced morphological modifications in single dendritic spines of young rats. Eur J Neurosci 2005; 21:2217-26. [PMID: 15869518 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2005.04041.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Learning-related morphological modifications in single dendritic spines were studied quantitatively in the brains of young Sprague-Dawley rats. We have previously shown that olfactory discrimination rule-learning results in transient physiological and morphological modifications in piriform cortex pyramidal neurons. In particular, spine density along the apical dendrites of neurons from trained rats is increased after learning. The aim of the present study was to identify and describe olfactory learning-induced modifications in the morphology of single spines along apical dendrites of the same type of neurons. By using laser-scanning confocal microscopy, we show that 3 days after training completion spines on neurons from olfactory discrimination trained rats are shorter as compared to spines on neurons from control rats. Further analysis revealed that spine shortening attributed to olfactory discrimination learning derives from shortening of spine head and not from shortening of spine neck. In addition, detailed analysis of spine head volume suggests that spines with large heads are absent after learning. As spine head size may be related to the efficacy of the synapse it bears, we suggest that modifications in spine head dimensions following olfactory rule-learning enhance the cortical network ability to enter into a 'learning mode', in which memories of new odours can be acquired rapidly and efficiently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shira Knafo
- Faculty of Health Sciences and Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University, Beersheva, Israel
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107
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Krizaj D. Serca isoform expression in the mammalian retina. Exp Eye Res 2005; 81:690-9. [PMID: 15967430 PMCID: PMC2921800 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2005.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2005] [Revised: 03/24/2005] [Accepted: 04/18/2005] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The sarcoplasmic-endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) is a key intracellular calcium transporter, which regulates cellular calcium concentration [Ca2+] by transporting Ca2+ ions from the cytosol into the endoplasmic reticulum. SERCA-mediated Ca2+ sequestration controls proper folding of newly synthesized proteins within the ER as well as the timing and spatial patterning of depolarization-evoked Ca2+ responses in the cytoplasm. To understand the spatial and temporal properties of Ca2+ homeostasis in retinal neurons better, I studied expression and distribution of all three SERCA isoforms in the mouse retina using isoform-specific antibodies. No immunostaining was observed with the SERCA1 antibody. SERCA2 was expressed in photoreceptor inner segments, amacrine and ganglion cells of the mouse retina. Similar SERCA2 localization was observed in adult rat, macaque and ground squirrel retinas. Analysis of distribution of SERCA2 immunofluorescence in the developing mouse retina revealed prominent SERCA2 signals throughout postnatal development. The N89 antibodys used to identify the SERCA3 isoforms labelled cone outer segments, inner segments of photoreceptors and cell processes in the inner nuclear layer of the mouse retina. These results imply that the SERCA2 isoform controls Ca2+ sequestration into the endoplasmic reticulum in most classes of retinal neuron. A potential role for SERCA3 in cone function is suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Krizaj
- Dept. of Ophthalmology, Beckman Vision Center, UCSF School of Medicine, Rm. K-140, 10 Kirkham St., San Francisco, CA 94143-0730, USA.
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108
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Ethell IM, Pasquale EB. Molecular mechanisms of dendritic spine development and remodeling. Prog Neurobiol 2005; 75:161-205. [PMID: 15882774 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2005.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 264] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2004] [Revised: 01/28/2005] [Accepted: 02/22/2005] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Dendritic spines are small protrusions that cover the surface of dendrites and bear the postsynaptic component of excitatory synapses. Having an enlarged head connected to the dendrite by a narrow neck, dendritic spines provide a postsynaptic biochemical compartment that separates the synaptic space from the dendritic shaft and allows each spine to function as a partially independent unit. Spines develop around the time of synaptogenesis and are dynamic structures that continue to undergo remodeling over time. Changes in spine morphology and density influence the properties of neural circuits. Our knowledge of the structure and function of dendritic spines has progressed significantly since their discovery over a century ago, but many uncertainties still remain. For example, several different models have been put forth outlining the sequence of events that lead to the genesis of a spine. Although spines are small and apparently simple organelles with a cytoskeleton mainly composed of actin filaments, regulation of their morphology and physiology appears to be quite sophisticated. A multitude of molecules have been implicated in dendritic spine development and remodeling, suggesting that intricate networks of interconnected signaling pathways converge to regulate actin dynamics in spines. This complexity is not surprising, given the likely importance of dendritic spines in higher brain functions. In this review, we discuss the molecules that are currently known to mediate the exquisite sensitivity of spines to perturbations in their environment and we outline how these molecules interface with each other to mediate cascades of signals flowing from the spine surface to the actin cytoskeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iryna M Ethell
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
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109
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Yano K, Petersen OH, Tepikin AV. Dual sensitivity of sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic Ca2+-ATPase to cytosolic and endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ as a mechanism of modulating cytosolic Ca2+ oscillations. Biochem J 2005; 383:353-60. [PMID: 15260801 PMCID: PMC1134077 DOI: 10.1042/bj20040629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The effects of ER (endoplasmic reticulum) Ca2+ on cytosolic Ca2+ oscillations in pancreatic acinar cells were investigated using mathematical models of the Ca2+ oscillations. We first examined the mathematical model of SERCA (sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase) to reproduce the highly co-operative inhibitory effect of Ca2+ in the ER lumen on ER Ca2+ uptake in the acinar cells. The model predicts that luminal Ca2+ would most probably inhibit the conversion of the conformation state with luminal Ca2+-binding sites (E2) into the conformation state with cytoplasmic Ca2+-binding sites (E1). The SERCA model derived from this prediction showed dose-response relationships to cytosolic and luminal Ca2+ concentrations that were consistent with the experimental data from the acinar cells. According to a mathematical model of cytosolic Ca2+ oscillations based on the modified SERCA model, a small decrease in the concentration of endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ (approx. 20% of the total) was sufficient to abolish the oscillations. When a single type of IP3R (IP3 receptor) was included in the model, store depletion decreased the spike frequency. However, the frequency became less sensitive to store depletion when we added another type of IP3R with higher sensitivity to the concentration of free Ca2+ in the cytosol. Bifurcation analysis of the mathematical model showed that the loss of Ca2+ from the ER lumen decreased the sensitivity of cytosolic Ca2+ oscillations to IP3 [Ins(1,4,5)P3]. The addition of a high-affinity IP3R did not alter this property, but significantly decreased the sensitivity of the spike frequency to IP3. Our mathematical model demonstrates how luminal Ca2+, through its effect on Ca2+ uptake, can control cytosolic Ca2+ oscillations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kojiro Yano
- The Physiological Laboratory, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK.
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110
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Oray S, Majewska A, Sur M. Dendritic spine dynamics are regulated by monocular deprivation and extracellular matrix degradation. Neuron 2005; 44:1021-30. [PMID: 15603744 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2004.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 241] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2004] [Revised: 09/14/2004] [Accepted: 10/20/2004] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The mammalian primary visual cortex (V1) is especially susceptible to changes in visual input over a well-defined critical period, during which closing one eye leads to a loss of responsiveness of neurons to the deprived eye and a shift in response toward the open eye. This functional plasticity can occur rapidly, following even a single day of eye closure, although the structural bases of these changes are unknown. Here, we show that rapid structural changes at the level of dendritic spines occur following brief monocular deprivation. These changes are evident in the supra- and infragranular layers of the binocular zone and can be mimicked by degradation of the extracellular matrix with the tPA/plasmin proteolytic cascade. Further, monocular deprivation occludes a subsequent effect of matrix degradation, suggesting that this mechanism is active in vivo to permit structural remodeling during ocular dominance plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serkan Oray
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
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111
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Abstract
A dendritic spine is an intracellular compartment in synapses of central neurons. The role of the fast twitching of spines, brought about by a transient rise of internal calcium concentration above that of the parent dendrite, has been hitherto unclear. We propose an explanation of the cause and effect of the twitching and its role in the functioning of the spine as a fast calcium compartment. Our molecular model postulates that rapid spine motility is due to the concerted contraction of calcium-binding proteins. The contraction induces a stream of cytoplasmic fluid in the direction of the dendritic shaft, thus speeding up the time course of spine calcium dynamics, relative to pure diffusion. Simulations indicate that chemical reaction rate theory at the molecular level can explain spine motility. They reveal two time periods in calcium dynamics, as measured recently by other researchers. It appears that rapid motility in dendritic spines increases the efficiency of calcium conduction to the dendrite and speeds up the emptying of the spine. This could play a major role in the induction of synaptic plasticity. A prediction of the model is that alteration of spine motility will modify the time course of calcium in the dendritic spine and could be tested experimentally.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Holcman
- Department of Mathematics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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112
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Humeau Y, Herry C, Kemp N, Shaban H, Fourcaudot E, Bissière S, Lüthi A. Dendritic Spine Heterogeneity Determines Afferent-Specific Hebbian Plasticity in the Amygdala. Neuron 2005; 45:119-31. [PMID: 15629707 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2004.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2004] [Revised: 10/12/2004] [Accepted: 11/22/2004] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Functional compartmentalization of dendrites is thought to underlie afferent-specific integration of neural activity in laminar brain structures. Here we show that in the lateral nucleus of the amygdala (LA), an area lacking apparent laminar organization, thalamic and cortical afferents converge on the same dendrites, contacting neighboring but morphologically and functionally distinct spine types. Large spines contacted by thalamic afferents exhibited larger Ca(2+) transients during action potential backpropagation than did small spines contacted by cortical afferents. Accordingly, induction of Hebbian plasticity, dependent on postsynaptic spikes, was restricted to thalamic afferents. This synapse-specific effect involved activation of R-type voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channels preferentially located at thalamic inputs. These results indicate that afferent-specific mechanisms of postsynaptic, associative Hebbian plasticity in LA projection neurons depend on local, spine-specific morphological and molecular properties, rather than global differences between dendritic compartments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yann Humeau
- Friedrich Miescher Institute, Maulbeerstrasse 66, CH-4058 Basel, Switzerland
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113
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Verkhratsky A. Physiology and Pathophysiology of the Calcium Store in the Endoplasmic Reticulum of Neurons. Physiol Rev 2005; 85:201-79. [PMID: 15618481 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00004.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 560] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the largest single intracellular organelle, which is present in all types of nerve cells. The ER is an interconnected, internally continuous system of tubules and cisterns, which extends from the nuclear envelope to axons and presynaptic terminals, as well as to dendrites and dendritic spines. Ca2+release channels and Ca2+pumps residing in the ER membrane provide for its excitability. Regulated ER Ca2+release controls many neuronal functions, from plasmalemmal excitability to synaptic plasticity. Enzymatic cascades dependent on the Ca2+concentration in the ER lumen integrate rapid Ca2+signaling with long-lasting adaptive responses through modifications in protein synthesis and processing. Disruptions of ER Ca2+homeostasis are critically involved in various forms of neuropathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexei Verkhratsky
- The University of Manchester, Faculty of Biological Sciences, United Kingdom.
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114
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Hirase H, Creso J, Buzsáki G. Capillary level imaging of local cerebral blood flow in bicuculline-induced epileptic foci. Neuroscience 2004; 128:209-16. [PMID: 15450368 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2004.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/06/2004] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Local hemodynamics of the cerebral cortex is the basis of modern functional imaging techniques, such as fMRIand PET. Despite the importance of local regulation of the blood flow, capillary level quantification of cerebral blood flow has been limited by the spatial resolution of functional imaging techniques and the depth penetration of conventional optical microscopy. Two-photon laser scanning microscopic imaging technique has the necessary spatial resolution and can image capillaries in the depth of the cortex. We have loaded the serum with fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran and quantified the flow of red blood cells (RBCs) in capillaries in layers 2/3 of the mouse somatosensory cortex in vivo. Basal capillary flux was quantified as approximately 28.9+/-13.6 RBCs/s (n=50, mean+/-S.D.) under ketamine-xylazine anesthesia and 26.7+/-16.0 RBCs/s (n=31) under urethane anesthesia. Focal interictal (epileptiform) activity was induced by local infusion of bicuculline methochloride in the cortex. We have observed that capillary blood flow increased as the cortical local field events developed into epileptiform in the vicinity of GABA receptor blockade (<300 microm from the administration site). Local blood flow in the interictal focus increased significantly (42.5+/-18.5RBCs/s, n=52) relative to the control conditions or to blood flow measured in capillaries at distant (>1mm from the focus) sites from the epileptic focus (27.8+/-12.9 RBCs/s, n=30). These results show that hyper-synchronized neural activity is associated with increased capillary perfusion in a localized cortical area. This volume is significantly smaller than the currently available resolution of the fMRI signal.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Hirase
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 197 University Avenue, Newark, NJ 07102, USA.
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115
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Korkotian E, Holcman D, Segal M. Dynamic regulation of spine-dendrite coupling in cultured hippocampal neurons. Eur J Neurosci 2004; 20:2649-63. [PMID: 15548208 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2004.03691.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the role of dendritic spine morphology in spine-dendrite calcium communication using novel experimental and theoretical approaches. A transient rise in [Ca2+]i was produced in individual spine heads of Fluo-4-loaded cultured hippocampal neurons by flash photolysis of caged calcium. Following flash photolysis in the spine head, a delayed [Ca2+]i transient was detected in the parent dendrites of only short, but not long, spines. Delayed elevated fluorescence in the dendrite of the short spines was also seen with a membrane-bound fluorophore and fluorescence recovery from bleaching of a calcium-bound fluorophore had a much slower kinetics, indicating that the dendritic fluorescence change reflects a genuine diffusion of free [Ca2+]i from the spine head to the parent dendrite. Calcium diffusion between spine head and the parent dendrite was regulated by calcium stores as well as by a Na-Ca exchanger. Spine length varied with the recent history of the [Ca2+]i variations in the spine, such that small numbers of calcium transients resulted in elongation of spines whereas large numbers of calcium transients caused shrinkage of the spines. Consequently, spine elongation resulted in a complete isolation of the spine from the dendrite, while shrinkage caused an enhanced coupling with the parent dendrite. These studies highlight a dynamically regulated coupling between a dendritic spine head and its parent dendrite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduard Korkotian
- Department of Neurobiology, The Weizmann Institute, Rehovot 76100, Israel
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116
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Isope P, Murphy TH. Low threshold calcium currents in rat cerebellar Purkinje cell dendritic spines are mediated by T-type calcium channels. J Physiol 2004; 562:257-69. [PMID: 15513942 PMCID: PMC1665489 DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2004.074211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The functional role of low voltage activated (LVA) calcium channels in the cerebellar Purkinje cell dendritic tree is not completely understood. Since the localization of these channels will influence their possible roles in dendritic integration and induction of plasticity, we set out to characterize the LVA calcium current in Purkinje cell dendrites in acute cerebellar slices of young rats. Using a combination of electrophysiological recordings and two-photon laser scanning microscopy, we show that LVA calcium current recorded at the soma can be correlated with voltage-dependent calcium transients in Purkinje cell dendritic spines. Blocking sodium and potassium conductances allowed us to isolate and characterize a fast inactivating inward current activated positive to -55 mV. Activation and steady-state inactivation kinetics, voltage-dependent deactivation kinetics, and pharmacological experiments (using omega-agatoxin-IVA, mibefradil and nickel) show that this current is carried by T-type calcium channels. Furthermore, the LVA calcium transient observed in the dendritic spines of the Purkinje cell is well correlated with the current recorded at the soma, suggesting that T-type calcium channels are the main component of the LVA calcium input in spines. The fast rising phase of the calcium transient in spines and the absence of delay between the onset in the spine and the parent dendrite show that T-type calcium channels are present both in spines and dendrites of the Purkinje cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Isope
- Kinsmen Laboratory and Brain Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3.
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117
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Holthoff K, Kovalchuk Y, Yuste R, Konnerth A. Single-shock LTD by local dendritic spikes in pyramidal neurons of mouse visual cortex. J Physiol 2004; 560:27-36. [PMID: 15319420 PMCID: PMC1665193 DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2004.072678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian dendrites are active structures, capable of regenerative electrical activity. Dendritic spikes can mediate synaptic plasticity and could enrich the computational properties of neurons. Besides sodium-based action potentials, which can propagate throughout the dendritic tree, neocortical pyramidal neurons also sustain dendritic spikes that are spatially restricted. The function of these 'local' dendritic spikes is unknown. We show that local spikes, which require activation of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs), induce long-term synaptic depression (LTD) in layer 5 pyramidal neurons. This depression does not require somatic spiking and is input specific. Moreover, a single synaptic stimulus can evoke a dendritic spike and a brief local dendritic calcium transient, and is sufficient for the full induction of LTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Knut Holthoff
- Physiologisches Institut, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, München, Germany
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118
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Krizaj D, Liu X, Copenhagen DR. Expression of calcium transporters in the retina of the tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum). J Comp Neurol 2004; 475:463-80. [PMID: 15236230 PMCID: PMC2579895 DOI: 10.1002/cne.20170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Changes in intracellular calcium concentration, [Ca2+]i, modulate the flow of visual signals across all stages of processing in the retina, yet the identities of Ca2+ transporters responsible for these changes are still largely unknown. In the current study, the distribution of plasma membrane and intracellular Ca2+ transporters in the retina of tiger salamander, a model system for physiological studies of retinal function, was determined. Plasma membrane calcium ATPases (PMCAs), responsible for high-affinity Ca2+ extrusion, were highly expressed in the salamander retina. PMCA isoforms 1, 2, and 4 were localized to photoreceptors, whereas the inner retina expressed all four isoforms. PMCA3 was expressed in a sparse population of amacrine and ganglion neurons, whereas PMCA2 was expressed in most amacrine and ganglion cells. Na+/Ca2+ exchangers, a high-capacity Ca2+ extrusion system, were expressed in the outer plexiform layer and in a subset of inner nuclear and ganglion layer cells. Intracellular Ca2+ store transporters were also represented prominently. SERCA2a, a splice variant of the sarcoplasmic-endoplasmic Ca2+ ATPase, was found mostly in photoreceptors, whereas SERCA2b was found in the majority of retinal neurons and in glial cells. The predominant endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ channels in the salamander retina are represented by the isoform 2 of the IP3 receptor family and the isoform 2 of the ryanodine receptor family. These results indicate that Ca2+ transporters in the salamander retina are expressed in a cell type-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Krizaj
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, San Francisco, California 94143-0730, USA.
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119
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Kurtz R. Ca2+ Clearance in Visual Motion-Sensitive Neurons of the Fly Studied In Vivo by Sensory Stimulation and UV Photolysis of Caged Ca2+. J Neurophysiol 2004; 92:458-67. [PMID: 15212443 DOI: 10.1152/jn.01058.2003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In motion-sensitive visual neurons of the fly, excitatory visual stimulation elicits Ca2+ accumulation in dendrites and presynaptic arborizations. Following the cessation of motion stimuli, decay time courses of the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration signals measured with fluorescent dyes were faster in fine arborizations compared with the main branches. When indicators with low Ca2+ affinity were used, the decay of the Ca2+ signals appeared slightly faster than with high affinity dyes, but the dependence of decay kinetics on branch size was preserved. The most parsimonious explanation for faster Ca2+ concentration decline in thin branches compared with thick ones is that the velocity of Ca2+ clearance is limited by transport mechanisms located in the outer membrane and is thus dependent on the neurite's surface-to-volume ratio. This interpretation was corroborated by UV flash photolysis of caged Ca2+ to systematically elicit spatially homogeneous step-like Ca2+ concentration increases of varying amplitude. Clearance of Ca2+ liberated by this method depended on branch size in the same way as Ca2+ accumulated during visual stimulation. Furthermore, the decay time courses of Ca2+ signals were only little affected by the amount of Ca2+ released by photolysis. Thus Ca2+ efflux via the outer membrane is likely to be the main reason for the spatial differences in Ca2+ clearance in visual motion-sensitive neurons of the fly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Kurtz
- Lehrstuhl für Neurobiologie, Fakultät für Biologie, Universität Bielefeld, Postfach 10 01 31, D-33501 Bielefeld, Germany.
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120
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Tashiro A, Yuste R. Regulation of dendritic spine motility and stability by Rac1 and Rho kinase: evidence for two forms of spine motility. Mol Cell Neurosci 2004; 26:429-40. [PMID: 15234347 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2004.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 210] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2003] [Revised: 03/19/2004] [Accepted: 04/06/2004] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Dendritic spines are major sites of excitatory synapses in the brain and display rapid motility, which is believed to be important for synapse formation and plasticity. Spine morphology was previously shown to be regulated by the Rho GTPases Rac1 and RhoA. Here, we analyzed the roles of Rac1 and a downstream effector of RhoA, Rho kinase, in controlling spine morphogenesis and their effects on spine motility and stability. Blockade of Rac1 induced long, thin spines and inhibited spine head growth, morphing, and stability. Spine head growth was more severely affected in mature spines. On the other hand, inhibition of Rho kinase induced new, long spines and protrusive motility. These data demonstrate that Rac1 and RhoA/Rho kinase pathways regulate different aspects of spine morphology, motility, and stability and presumably also different aspects of synaptic functions. Moreover, our data show that there are two different types of spine motility: protrusive motility and head morphing, which are differentially regulated by Rac1 and Rho kinase. We propose that these two different types of spine motility serve different functions in synaptogenesis and synapse maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayumu Tashiro
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
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121
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Lee KJ, Kim H, Kim TS, Park SH, Rhyu IJ. Morphological analysis of spine shapes of Purkinje cell dendrites in the rat cerebellum using high-voltage electron microscopy. Neurosci Lett 2004; 359:21-4. [PMID: 15050702 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2004.01.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2003] [Revised: 01/05/2004] [Accepted: 01/20/2004] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Morphological changes in spine shapes have been implicated as indications for physiological or pathological status. To investigate the normal distribution ratio of spine shapes of rat Purkinje cells, morphological analysis was conducted using high-voltage electron microscopy following Golgi impregnation. Spines were classified into thin, stubby, mushroom, branched, and unclassified type by their distinct morphological features. In the tertiary branches of Purkinje cell dendrites, proportions of each category were 69.11+/-1.38% (thin), 13.5+/-1.23% (stubby), 10.45+/-0.74% (mushroom), 2.21+/-0.31% (branched), and 4.73+/-0.52% (unclassified). These results suggest that dendritic spines of Purkinje cells may tend to cluster in defined groups by shapes implying that different spine shapes could reflect different functional roles. This classification could be applied for further study of spine plasticity in various conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kea Joo Lee
- Institute of Human Genetics and Department of Anatomy, Division of Brain Korea 21 Biomedical Science, Korea University College of Medicine, 126-1 Anam-Dong 5-Ga, Seongbuk-Ku, Seoul, 136-705, South Korea
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122
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Wheeler DG, Cooper E. Weak synaptic activity induces ongoing signaling to the nucleus that is enhanced by BDNF and suppressed by low-levels of nicotine. Mol Cell Neurosci 2004; 26:50-62. [PMID: 15121178 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2003.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2003] [Revised: 12/16/2003] [Accepted: 12/22/2003] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The developing nervous system adapts to a wide array of stimuli, in part, by evoking activity-dependent mechanisms that signal to the nucleus and induce long-term modifications in neuronal function. It is well established that one such stimulus is strong synaptic activity. Our interest, however, is whether weak activity generated at developing synapses also signals to the nucleus and if so, can these signals be modulated by extrinsic factors. Using cultured hippocampal neurons and a highly sensitive readout of CRE-mediated gene expression, we demonstrate that weak synaptic transmission, including non-evoked, spontaneous transmitter release, induces ongoing gene expression. These weak synaptic stimuli, acting through NMDA receptors, signal to the nucleus through a MAPK pathway, without a significant contribution of L-type Ca2+ channels. In addition, we show that BDNF, a molecule that has clear effects on synaptic plasticity, enhances this CRE-dependent gene expression by acting upstream of NMDA receptors. On the other hand, low levels of nicotine, which also effects synaptic plasticity, suppress ongoing CRE-mediated gene expression indirectly by acting on GABAergic neurons; this indirect action on gene expression suggests an alternative mechanism for how nicotine produces long-lasting changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damian G Wheeler
- Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada H3G 1Y6
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123
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Yasuda R, Nimchinsky EA, Scheuss V, Pologruto TA, Oertner TG, Sabatini BL, Svoboda K. Imaging Calcium Concentration Dynamics in Small Neuronal Compartments. Sci Signal 2004; 2004:pl5. [PMID: 14872098 DOI: 10.1126/stke.2192004pl5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 183] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Calcium and its regulation play central roles diverse physiologic processes. Quantification of calcium concentrations ([Ca2+]) in small neuronal compartments is crucial to understanding Ca2+-dependent signaling. Here, we describe techniques that are optimized for 2-photon imaging of [Ca2+] dynamics in small compartments such as dendrites and dendritic spines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryohei Yasuda
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
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124
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Abstract
Dendritic spines mediate most excitatory inputs in the brain, yet their function is still unclear. Imaging experiments have demonstrated their role in biochemical compartmentalization at individual synapses, yet theoretical studies have suggested that they could serve an electrical function in transforming synaptic inputs and transmitting dendritic spikes. Recent data indicate that spines possess voltage-dependent conductances and that these channels can be spine-specific. Although direct experimental investigations of the electrical properties of spines have not yet taken place, spines could play a significant electrical role, greatly influencing dendritic integration and the function of neural circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Tsay
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, 1002 Fairchild, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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125
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Burette A, Rockwood JM, Strehler EE, Weinberg RJ. Isoform-specific distribution of the plasma membrane Ca2+ ATPase in the rat brain. J Comp Neurol 2004; 467:464-76. [PMID: 14624481 DOI: 10.1002/cne.10933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Regulation of cytoplasmic calcium is crucial both for proper neuronal function and cell survival. The concentration of Ca2+ in cytoplasm of a neuron at rest is 10,000 times lower than in the extracellular space, pointing to the importance of the transporters that extrude intracellular Ca2+. The family of plasma membrane calcium-dependent ATPases (PMCAs) represent a major component of the Ca2+ regulatory system. However, little information is available on the regional and cellular distribution of these calcium pumps. We used immunohistochemistry to investigate the distribution of each of the four PMCA isoforms (PMCA1-4) in the rat brain. Each isoform exhibited a remarkably precise and distinct pattern of distribution. In many cases, PMCA isoforms in a single brain structure were differentially expressed within different classes of neurons, and within different subcellular compartments. These data show that each isoform is independently organized and suggest that PMCAs may play a more complex role in calcium homeostasis than generally recognized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alain Burette
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA.
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126
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Abstract
Dendritic spines receive excitatory synapses and serve as calcium compartments, which appear to be necessary for input-specific synaptic plasticity. Dendrites of GABAergic interneurons have few or no spines and thus do not possess a clear morphological basis for synapse-specific compartmentalization. We demonstrate using two-photon calcium imaging that activation of single synapses on aspiny dendrites of neocortical fast spiking (FS) interneurons creates highly localized calcium microdomains, often restricted to less than 1 microm of dendritic space. We confirm using ultrastructural reconstruction of imaged dendrites the absence of any morphological basis for this compartmentalization and show that it is dependent on the fast kinetics of calcium-permeable (CP) AMPA receptors and fast local extrusion via the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger. Because aspiny dendrites throughout the CNS express CP-AMPA receptors, we propose that CP-AMPA receptors mediate a spine-free mechanism of input-specific calcium compartmentalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse H Goldberg
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
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127
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Lamprecht
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Place, New York, New York 10003, USA
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128
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Majewska A, Sur M. Motility of dendritic spines in visual cortex in vivo: changes during the critical period and effects of visual deprivation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2003; 100:16024-9. [PMID: 14663137 PMCID: PMC307686 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2636949100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2003] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cortical dendritic spines are highly motile postsynaptic structures onto which most excitatory synapses are formed. It has been postulated that spine dynamics might reflect synaptic plasticity of cortical neurons. To test this hypothesis, we have investigated spine dynamics during the critical period in mouse visual cortex in vivo with and without sensory deprivation. The motility of spines on apical dendrites of layer 5 neurons was assayed by time-lapse two-photon microscopy. Spines were motile at the ages examined, postnatal days (P)21-P42, although motility decreased between P21 and P28 and then remained stable through P42. Binocular deprivation from before the time of eye-opening up-regulated spine motility during the peak of the critical period (P28), without affecting average spine length, class distribution, or density. Deprivation at the start of the critical period had no effect on spine motility, whereas continued deprivation through the end of the critical period appeared to reduce spine motility slightly. We conclude that spine motility might be involved in critical-period plasticity and that reduction of activity during the critical period enhances spine dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ania Majewska
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Picower Center for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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129
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Roelandse M, Welman A, Wagner U, Hagmann J, Matus A. Focal motility determines the geometry of dendritic spines. Neuroscience 2003; 121:39-49. [PMID: 12946698 DOI: 10.1016/s0306-4522(03)00405-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The geometry of dendritic spines has a major impact on signal transmission at excitatory synapses. To study it in detail we raised transgenic mice expressing an intrinsic green fluorescent protein-based plasma membrane marker that directly visualizes the cell surface of living neurons throughout the brain. Confocal imaging of developing hippocampal slices showed that as dendrites mature they switch from producing labile filopodia and polymorphic spine precursors to dendritic spines with morphologies similar to those reported from studies of adult brain. In images of live dendrites these mature spines are fundamentally stable structures, but retain morphological plasticity in the form of actin-rich lamellipodia at the tips of spine heads. In live mature dendrites up to 50% of spines had cup-shaped heads with prominent terminal lamellipodia whose motility produced constant alterations in the detailed geometry of the synaptic contact zone. The partial enveloping of presynaptic terminals by these cup-shaped spines coupled with rapid actin-driven changes in their shape may operate to fine-tune receptor distribution and neurotransmitter cross-talk at excitatory synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Roelandse
- Friedrich Miescher Institute, PO Box 2543, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
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130
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Abstract
Transient rises in the cytoplasmic concentration of calcium ions serve as second messenger signals that control many neuronal functions. Selective triggering of these functions is achieved through spatial localization of calcium signals. Several qualitatively different forms of local calcium signaling can be distinguished by the location of open calcium channels as well as by the distance between these channels and the calcium binding proteins that serve as the molecular targets of calcium action. Local calcium signaling is especially prominent at presynaptic active zones and postsynaptic densities, structures that are distinguished by highly organized macromolecular arrays that yield precise spatial arrangements of calcium signaling proteins. Similar forms of local calcium signaling may be employed throughout the nervous system, though much remains to be learned about the molecular underpinnings of these events.
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Affiliation(s)
- George J Augustine
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3209, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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131
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Deller T, Korte M, Chabanis S, Drakew A, Schwegler H, Stefani GG, Zuniga A, Schwarz K, Bonhoeffer T, Zeller R, Frotscher M, Mundel P. Synaptopodin-deficient mice lack a spine apparatus and show deficits in synaptic plasticity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2003; 100:10494-9. [PMID: 12928494 PMCID: PMC193589 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1832384100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 206] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2003] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The spine apparatus is a cellular organelle that is present in many dendritic spines of excitatory neurons in the mammalian forebrain. Despite its discovery >40 years ago, the function of the spine apparatus is still unknown although calcium buffering functions as well as roles in synaptic plasticity have been proposed. We have recently shown that the 100-kDa protein synaptopodin is associated with the spine apparatus. Here, we now report that mice homozygous for a targeted deletion of the synaptopodin gene completely lack spine apparatuses. Interestingly, this absence of the spine apparatus is accompanied by a reduction in hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) in the CA1 region of the hippocampus and by an impairment of spatial learning in the radial arm maze test. This genetic analysis points to a role of the spine apparatus in synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Deller
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Freiburg, P.O. Box 111, D-79001 Freiburg, Germany
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132
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Abstract
Two-photon microscopy has revolutionized life sciences by enabling long-term imaging of living preparations in highly scattering tissue while minimizing photodamage. At the same time, commercial two-photon microscopes are expensive and this has prevented the widespread application of this technique to the biological community. As an alternative to commercial systems, we provide an update of our efforts designing custom-built two-photon instruments by modifying the Olympus FluoView laser scanning confocal microscope. With the newer version of our instrument we modulate the intensity of the laser beam in arbitrary spatiotemporal patterns using a Pockels cell and software control over the scanning. We can also perform simultaneous optical imaging and optical stimulation experiments and combine them with second harmonic generation measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Volodymyr Nikolenko
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
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133
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Schmidt H, Brown EB, Schwaller B, Eilers J. Diffusional mobility of parvalbumin in spiny dendrites of cerebellar Purkinje neurons quantified by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. Biophys J 2003; 84:2599-608. [PMID: 12668468 PMCID: PMC1302826 DOI: 10.1016/s0006-3495(03)75065-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Ca(2+)-binding proteins (CaBPs) represent key factors for the modulation of cellular Ca(2+) dynamics. Especially in thin extensions of nerve cells, Ca(2+) binding and buffered diffusion of Ca(2+) by CaBPs is assumed to effectively control the spatio-temporal extend of Ca(2+) signals. However, no quantitative data about the mobility of specific CaBPs in the neuronal cytosol are available. We quantified the diffusion of the endogenous CaPB parvalbumin (PV) in spiny dendrites of cerebellar Purkinje neurons with two-photon fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. Fluorescently labeled PV diffused readily between spines and dendrites with a median time constant of 49 ms (37-61 ms, interquartile range). Based on published data on spine geometry, this value corresponds to an apparent diffusion coefficient of 43 microm(2) s(-1) (34-56 microm(2) s(-1)). The absence of large or immobile binding partners for PV was confirmed in PV null-mutant mice. Our data validate the common but so far unproven assumption that PV is highly mobile in neurons and will facilitate simulations of neuronal Ca(2+) buffering. Our experimental approach represents a versatile tool for quantifying the mobility of proteins in neuronal dendrites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hartmut Schmidt
- Department of Neurophysiology, Max-Planck-Institute for Brain Research, 60528 Frankfurt, Germany.
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134
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Wei X, Henke VG, Strübing C, Brown EB, Clapham DE. Real-time imaging of nuclear permeation by EGFP in single intact cells. Biophys J 2003; 84:1317-27. [PMID: 12547812 PMCID: PMC1302708 DOI: 10.1016/s0006-3495(03)74947-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The NPC is the portal for the exchange of proteins, mRNA, and ions between nucleus and cytoplasm. Many small molecules (<10 kDa) permeate the nucleus by simple diffusion through the pore, but molecules larger than 70 kDa require ATP and a nuclear localization sequence for their transport. In isolated Xenopus oocyte nuclei, diffusion of intermediate-sized molecules appears to be regulated by the NPC, dependent upon [Ca(2+)] in the nuclear envelope. We have applied real-time imaging and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching to examine the nuclear pore permeability of 27-kDa EGFP in single intact cells. We found that EGFP diffused bidirectionally via the NPC across the nuclear envelope. Although diffusion is slowed approximately 100-fold at the nuclear envelope boundary compared to diffusion within the nucleus or cytoplasm, this delay is expected for the reduced cross-sectional area of the NPCs. We found no evidence for significant nuclear pore gating or block of EGFP diffusion by depletion of perinuclear Ca(2+) stores, as assayed by a nuclear cisterna-targeted Ca(2+) indicator. We also found that EGFP exchange was not altered significantly during the cell cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xunbin Wei
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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135
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Abstract
Throughout the history of neuroscience, dendritic spines have been considered stable structures, but in recent years, imaging techniques have revealed that spines are constantly changing shape. Spine motility is difficult to categorize, has different forms, and possibly even represents multiple phenomena. It is influenced by synaptic transmission, intracellular calcium, and a multitude of ions and other molecules. An actin-based cascade mediates this phenomenon, and while the precise signaling pathways are still unclear, the Rho family of GTPases could well be a "common denominator" controlling spine morphology. One role of spine motility might be to enable a searching function during synaptogenesis, allowing for more efficacious neuronal connectivity in the neuronal thicket. This idea revisits concepts originally formulated by Cajal, who proposed over a hundred years ago that spines might help to increase and modify synaptic connections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Bonhoeffer
- Max Planck Institut für Neurobiologie, Martinsried, Munich, Germany.
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136
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Holthoff K, Tsay D, Majewska A, Yuste R. Response: Raising the speed limit. Trends Neurosci 2002. [DOI: 10.1016/s0166-2236(02)02233-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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137
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Abstract
Ca2+ influx into dendritic spines is involved in the induction of both long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) by activating distinct biochemical cascades, depending on the stimulation protocol. Such conditional activation can be explained by the finding that removal of Ca2+ from spines is extremely rapid (approximately 15 ms) and promoted by a low endogenous buffering capacity. As a consequence, the time course of influx and binding kinetics are important determinants of how much Ca2+ binds to a particular enzyme. In addition structural factors, such as shape and dendritic location, could contribute to fine-tuning of spine Ca2+ handling and synaptic modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fritjof Helmchen
- Abteilung Zellphysiologie, Max-Planck-Institute für medizinische Forschung, Jahnstr. 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
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138
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Abstract
Most excitatory input in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex impinges on dendritic spines. Alterations in dendritic spine density or shape are suspected to be morphological manifestations of changes in physiology or behavior. The links between spine plasticity and physiological responses have probably been best studied in the hippocampus in the context of changes in the circulating levels of steroid hormones or long-term potentiation. Here we review and present data which indicate that both the age of the preparation and the timing of the analysis can dramatically effect the results obtained. Collectively the data suggest that different cellular and morphological strategies may be utilized at different ages and under different circumstances to effect similar physiological responses or behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Gazzaley
- Fishberg Research Center for Neurobiology and Program in Cell Adhesion, The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, P.O. Box 1065/Neurobiology, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
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139
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Abstract
Spines are neuronal protrusions, each of which receives input typically from one excitatory synapse. They contain neurotransmitter receptors, organelles, and signaling systems essential for synaptic function and plasticity. Numerous brain disorders are associated with abnormal dendritic spines. Spine formation, plasticity, and maintenance depend on synaptic activity and can be modulated by sensory experience. Studies of compartmentalization have shown that spines serve primarily as biochemical, rather than electrical, compartments. In particular, recent work has highlighted that spines are highly specialized compartments for rapid large-amplitude Ca(2+) signals underlying the induction of synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther A Nimchinsky
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA.
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140
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Vanderklish PW, Edelman GM. Dendritic spines elongate after stimulation of group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptors in cultured hippocampal neurons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2002; 99:1639-44. [PMID: 11818568 PMCID: PMC122243 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.032681099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 165] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Changes in the morphology of dendritic spines are correlated with synaptic plasticity and may relate mechanistically to its expression and stabilization. Recent work has shown that spine length can be altered by manipulations that affect intracellular calcium, and spine length is abnormal in genetic conditions affecting protein synthesis in neurons. We have investigated how ligands of group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) affect spine shape; stimulation of these receptors leads both to calcium release from intracellular stores and to dendritic protein synthesis. Thirty-minute incubation of cultured hippocampal slices and dissociated neurons with the selective group 1 mGluR agonist (S)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG) induced a significant increase in the average length of dendritic spines. This elongation resulted mainly from the growth of existing spines and was also seen even in the presence of antagonists of ionotropic receptors, indicating that activation of these receptors by mGluR-induced glutamate release was not required. Prolonged antagonism of group 1 mGluRs with (S)-alpha-methyl-4-carboxyphenylglycine (MCPG) did not result in shorter average spine length. Elongation of dendritic spines induced by DHPG was blocked by calcium chelation and by preincubation with the protein synthesis inhibitor puromycin. The results suggest that in vivo activation of group 1 mGluRs by synaptically released glutamate affects spine shape in a protein synthesis-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter W Vanderklish
- Department of Neurobiology, The Scripps Research Institute 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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141
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Abstract
Spine Ca(2+) is critical for the induction of synaptic plasticity, but the factors that control Ca(2+) handling in dendritic spines under physiological conditions are largely unknown. We studied [Ca(2+)] signaling in dendritic spines of CA1 pyramidal neurons and find that spines are specialized structures with low endogenous Ca(2+) buffer capacity that allows large and extremely rapid [Ca(2+)] changes. Under physiological conditions, Ca(2+) diffusion across the spine neck is negligible, and the spine head functions as a separate compartment on long time scales, allowing localized Ca(2+) buildup during trains of synaptic stimuli. Furthermore, the kinetics of Ca(2+) sources governs the time course of [Ca(2+)] signals and may explain the selective activation of long-term synaptic potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) by NMDA-R-mediated synaptic Ca(2+).
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernardo L Sabatini
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
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142
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Abstract
Dendritic spines are morphologically and functionally heterogeneous. To understand this diversity, we use two-photon imaging of layer 5 neocortical pyramidal cells and measure action potential-evoked [Ca(2+)]i transients in spines. Spine calcium kinetics are controlled by (i) the diameter of the parent dendrite, (ii) the length of the spine neck, and (iii) the strength of spine calcium pumps. These factors produce different calcium dynamics in spines from basal, proximal apical, and distal apical dendrites, differences that are more pronounced without exogenous buffers. In proximal and distal apical dendrites, different calcium dynamics correlate with different susceptibility to synaptic depression, and modifying calcium kinetics in spines changes the expression of long-term depression. Thus, the spine location apparently determines its calcium dynamics and synaptic plasticity. Our results highlight the precision in design of neocortical neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Knut Holthoff
- Department Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
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143
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Affiliation(s)
- H Hering
- Center for Learning and Memory, RIKEN-MIT Center for Neuroscience Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 77 Massachusetts Avenue (E18-215), Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
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144
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Bibbig A, Faulkner HJ, Whittington MA, Traub RD. Self-organized synaptic plasticity contributes to the shaping of gamma and beta oscillations in vitro. J Neurosci 2001; 21:9053-67. [PMID: 11698616 PMCID: PMC6762263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
gamma (30-70 Hz) followed by beta (10-30 Hz) oscillations are evoked in humans by sensory stimuli and may be involved in working memory. Phenomenologically similar gamma-->beta oscillations can be evoked in hippocampal slices by strong two-site tetanic stimulation. Weaker stimulation leads only to two-site synchronized gamma. In vitro oscillations have memory-like features: (1) EPSPs increase during gamma-->beta; (2) after a strong one-site stimulus, two-site stimulation produces desynchronized gamma; and (3) a single synchronized gamma-->beta epoch allows a subsequent weak stimulus to induce synchronized gamma-->beta. Features 2 and 3 last >50 min and so are unlikely to be caused by presynaptic effects. A previous model replicated the gamma-->beta transition when it was assumed that K(+) conductance(s) increases and there is an ad hoc increase in pyramidal EPSCs. Here, we have refined the model, so that both pyramidal-->pyramidal and pyramidal-->interneuron synapses are modifiable. This model, in a self-organized way, replicates the gamma-->beta transition, along with features 1 and 2 above. Feature 3 is replicated if learning rates, or the time course of K(+) current block, are graded with stimulus intensity. Synaptic plasticity allows simulated oscillations to synchronize between sites separated by axon conduction delays over 10 msec. Our data suggest that one function of gamma oscillations is to permit synaptic plasticity, which is then expressed in the form of beta oscillations. We propose that the period of gamma oscillations, approximately 25 msec, is "designed" to match the time course of [Ca(2+)](i) fluctuations in dendrites, thus facilitating learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Bibbig
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Birmingham School of Medicine, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
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145
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Abstract
Dendritic spines occupy a strategic position in the central nervous system, yet their function is still under debate. Over the past decades, many hypotheses have been put forward to explain the specific function of spines. Recently, imaging experiments have demonstrated that spines compartmentalize calcium, a role that appears necessary for input-specific forms of synaptic plasticity. In addition, it has been discovered that spine morphology is plastic over fast time scales and can be controlled by specific biochemical pathways. Also, several aspects of the spine's morphology appear to be intricately linked to its function. The authors review these recent data and incorporate them into a model for the function of dendritic spines in CNS circuits. In their proposal, spines serve to specifically connect sparse inputs and therefore minimize the wiring necessary in the CNS while maximizing connectivity. By virtue of the same design, spines isolate inputs and thus implement local learning rules. These rules appear only necessary with sparse inputs so these two functions are intimately related. Spines therefore would play a crucial circuit role, remarkably analogous to synaptic matrix elements of associative neural networks. This model highlights the economical, yet elegant, design of CNS circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Yuste
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
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146
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Yuste R, Bonhoeffer T. Morphological changes in dendritic spines associated with long-term synaptic plasticity. Annu Rev Neurosci 2001; 24:1071-89. [PMID: 11520928 DOI: 10.1146/annurev.neuro.24.1.1071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 907] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Dendritic spines are morphological specializations that receive synaptic inputs and compartmentalize calcium. In spite of a long history of research, the specific function of spines is still not well understood. Here we review the current status of the relation between morphological changes in spines and synaptic plasticity. Since Cajal and Tanzi proposed that changes in the structure of the brain might occur as a consequence of experience, the search for the morphological correlates of learning has constituted one of the central questions in neuroscience. Although there are scores of studies that encompass this wide field in many species, in this review we focus on experimental work that has analyzed the morphological consequences of hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) in rodents. Over the past two decades many studies have demonstrated changes in the morphology of spines after LTP, such as enlargements of the spine head and shortenings of the spine neck. Biophysically, these changes translate into an increase in the synaptic current injected at the spine, as well as shortening of the time constant for calcium compartmentalization. In addition, recent online studies using time-lapse imaging have reported increased spinogenesis. The currently available data show a strong correlation between synaptic plasticity and morphological changes in spines, although at the same time, there is no evidence that these morphological changes are necessary or sufficient for the induction or maintenance of LTP. Still, they highlight once more how form and function go hand in hand in the central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Yuste
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
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147
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Capani F, Martone ME, Deerinck TJ, Ellisman MH. Selective localization of high concentrations of F-actin in subpopulations of dendritic spines in rat central nervous system: a three-dimensional electron microscopic study. J Comp Neurol 2001; 435:156-70. [PMID: 11391638 DOI: 10.1002/cne.1199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Dendritic spines differ considerably in their size, shape, and internal organization between brain regions. We examined the actin cytoskeleton in dendritic spines in hippocampus (areas CA1, CA3, and dentate gyrus), neostriatum, and cerebellum at both light and electron microscopic levels by using a novel high-resolution photoconversion method based in the high affinity of phalloidin for filamentous (F)-actin. In all brain regions, labeling was strongest in the heads of dendritic spines, diminishing in the spine neck. The number of labeled spines varied by region. Compared with the cerebellar molecular layer and area CA3, where nearly every dendritic spine was labeled, less than half the spines were labeled in CA1, dentate gyrus, and neostriatum. Serial section reconstructions of spines in these areas indicated that phalloidin labeling was restricted to the largest and most morphologically diverse dendritic spines. The resolution of the photoconversion technique allowed us to examine the localization and organization of actin filaments in the spine. The most intense staining for actin was found in the postsynaptic density and associated with the spines internal membrane system. In mushroom-shaped spines, F-actin staining was particularly strong between the lamellae of the spine apparatus. Three-dimensional reconstruction of labeled spines by using electron tomography showed that the labeled dense material was in continuity with the postsynaptic density. These results highlight differences in the actin cytoskeleton between different spine populations and provide novel information on the organization of the actin cytoskeleton in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Capani
- Department of Neurosciences, National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0608, USA
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148
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Rose CR, Konnerth A. NMDA receptor-mediated Na+ signals in spines and dendrites. J Neurosci 2001; 21:4207-14. [PMID: 11404406 PMCID: PMC6762772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Spines and dendrites of central neurons represent an important site of synaptic signaling and integration. Here we identify a new, synaptically mediated spine signal with unique properties. Using two-photon Na(+) imaging, we show that suprathreshold synaptic stimulation leads to transient increases in Na(+) concentration in postsynaptic spines and their adjacent dendrites. This local signal is restricted to a dendritic domain near the site of synaptic input. In presumed active spines within this domain, the Na(+) level increases by 30-40 mm even during short bursts of synaptic stimulation. During a long-term potentiation induction protocol (100 Hz, 1 sec), the Na(+) level in the active spines reaches peak amplitudes of approximately 100 mm. We find that the Na(+) transients are mainly mediated by Na(+) entry through NMDA receptor channels and are detected during the coincident occurrence of synaptic potentials and backpropagating action potentials. The large amplitudes of the Na(+) transients and their location on dendritic spines suggest that this signal is an important determinant of electrical and biochemical spine characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- C R Rose
- Institut für Physiologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, D-80802 München, Germany.
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149
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Abstract
Dendritic spines are cellular microcompartments that are isolated from their parent dendrites and neighboring spines. Recently, imaging studies of spine Ca(2+) dynamics have revealed that Ca(2+) can enter spines through voltage-sensitive and ligand-activated channels, as well as through Ca(2+) release from intracellular stores. Relationships between spine Ca(2+) signals and induction of various forms of synaptic plasticity are beginning to be elucidated. Measurements of spine Ca(2+) concentration are also being used to probe the properties of single synapses and even individual calcium channels in their native environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- B L Sabatini
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11743, USA
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150
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Abstract
There has been an explosion of new information on the neurobiology of dendritic spines in synaptic signaling, integration, and plasticity. Novel imaging and analytical techniques have provided important new insights into dendritic spine structure and function. Results are accumulating across many disciplines, and a step toward consolidating some of this work has resulted in Dendritic Spines of the Hippocampus. Leaders in the field provide a discussion at the level of advanced under-graduates, with sufficient detail to be a contemporary resource for research scientists. Critical reviews are presented on topics ranging from spine structure, formation, and maintenance, to molecular composition, plasticity, and the role of spines in learning and memory. Dendritic Spines of the Hippocampus provides a timely discussion of our current understanding of form and function at these excitatory synapses. We asked authors to include areas of controversy in their papers so as to distinguish results that are generally agreed upon from those where multiple interpretations are possible. We thank the contributors for their insights and thoughtful discussions. In this paper we provide background on the structure, composition, function, development, plasticity, and pathology of hippocampal dendritic spines. In addition, we highlight where each of these subjects will be elaborated upon in subsequent papers of this special issue of Hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- K E Sorra
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Massachusetts 02215, USA
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