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Boyer NP, Sharma R, Wiesner T, Delamare A, Pelletier F, Leterrier C, Roy S. Spectrin condensates provide a nidus for assembling the periodic axonal structure. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.05.597638. [PMID: 38895400 PMCID: PMC11185721 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.05.597638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Coordinated assembly of individual components into higher-order structures is a defining theme in biology, but underlying principles are not well-understood. In neurons, α/β spectrins, adducin, and actinfilaments assemble into a lattice wrapping underneath the axonal plasma membrane, but mechanistic events leading to this periodic axonal structure (PAS) are unclear. Visualizing PAS components in axons as they develop, we found focal patches in distal axons containing spectrins and adducin (but sparse actin filaments) with biophysical properties reminiscent of biomolecular condensation. Overexpressing spectrin-repeats - constituents of α/β-spectrins - in heterologous cells triggered condensate formation, and preventing association of βII-spectrin with actin-filaments/membranes also facilitated condensation. Finally, overexpressing condensate-triggering spectrin repeats in neurons before PAS establishment disrupted the lattice, presumably by competing with innate assembly, supporting a functional role for biomolecular condensation. We propose a condensation-assembly model where PAS components form focal phase-separated condensates that eventually unfurl into a stable lattice-structure by associating with subplasmalemmal actin. By providing local 'depots' of assembly parts, biomolecular condensation may play a wider role in the construction of intricate cytoskeletal structures.
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2
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Rentsch J, Bandstra S, Sezen B, Sigrist P, Bottanelli F, Schmerl B, Shoichet S, Noé F, Sadeghi M, Ewers H. Sub-membrane actin rings compartmentalize the plasma membrane. J Cell Biol 2024; 223:e202310138. [PMID: 38252080 PMCID: PMC10807028 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202310138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The compartmentalization of the plasma membrane (PM) is a fundamental feature of cells. The diffusivity of membrane proteins is significantly lower in biological than in artificial membranes. This is likely due to actin filaments, but assays to prove a direct dependence remain elusive. We recently showed that periodic actin rings in the neuronal axon initial segment (AIS) confine membrane protein motion between them. Still, the local enrichment of ion channels offers an alternative explanation. Here we show, using computational modeling, that in contrast to actin rings, ion channels in the AIS cannot mediate confinement. Furthermore, we show, employing a combinatorial approach of single particle tracking and super-resolution microscopy, that actin rings are close to the PM and that they confine membrane proteins in several neuronal cell types. Finally, we show that actin disruption leads to loss of compartmentalization. Taken together, we here develop a system for the investigation of membrane compartmentalization and show that actin rings compartmentalize the PM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Rentsch
- Institute for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Selle Bandstra
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Batuhan Sezen
- Institute for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Philipp Sigrist
- Institute for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Francesca Bottanelli
- Institute for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bettina Schmerl
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Frank Noé
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mohsen Sadeghi
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Helge Ewers
- Institute for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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3
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Ghose A, Pullarkat P. The role of mechanics in axonal stability and development. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 140:22-34. [PMID: 35786351 PMCID: PMC7615100 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Much of the focus of neuronal cell biology has been devoted to growth cone guidance, synaptogenesis, synaptic activity, plasticity, etc. The axonal shaft too has received much attention, mainly for its astounding ability to transmit action potentials and the transport of material over long distances. For these functions, the axonal cytoskeleton and membrane have been often assumed to play static structural roles. Recent experiments have changed this view by revealing an ultrastructure much richer in features than previously perceived and one that seems to be maintained at a dynamic steady state. The role of mechanics in this is only beginning to be broadly appreciated and appears to involve passive and active modes of coupling different biopolymer filaments, filament turnover dynamics and membrane biophysics. Axons, being unique cellular processes in terms of high aspect ratios and often extreme lengths, also exhibit unique passive mechanical properties that might have evolved to stabilize them under mechanical stress. In this review, we summarize the experiments that have exposed some of these features. It is our view that axonal mechanics deserves much more attention not only due to its significance in the development and maintenance of the nervous system but also due to the susceptibility of axons to injury and neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurnab Ghose
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune 411 008, India.
| | - Pramod Pullarkat
- Raman Research Institute, C. V. Raman Avenue, Bengaluru 560 080, India.
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4
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Appeltshauser L, Linke J, Heil HS, Karus C, Schenk J, Hemmen K, Sommer C, Doppler K, Heinze KG. Super-resolution imaging pinpoints the periodic ultrastructure at the human node of Ranvier and its disruption in patients with polyneuropathy. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 182:106139. [PMID: 37146836 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The node of Ranvier is the key element in saltatory conduction along myelinated axons, but its specific protein organization remains elusive in the human species. To shed light on nanoscale anatomy of the human node of Ranvier in health and disease, we assessed human nerve biopsies of patients with polyneuropathy by super-resolution fluorescence microscopy. We applied direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM) and supported our data by high-content confocal imaging combined with deep learning-based analysis. As a result, we revealed a ~ 190 nm periodic protein arrangement of cytoskeletal proteins and axoglial cell adhesion molecules in human peripheral nerves. In patients with polyneuropathy, periodic distances increased at the paranodal region of the node of Ranvier, both at the axonal cytoskeleton and at the axoglial junction. In-depth image analysis revealed a partial loss of proteins of the axoglial complex (Caspr-1, neurofascin-155) in combination with detachment from the cytoskeletal anchor protein ß2-spectrin. High content analysis showed that such paranodal disorganization occurred especially in acute and severe axonal neuropathy with ongoing Wallerian degeneration and related cytoskeletal damage. We provide nanoscale and protein-specific evidence for the prominent, but vulnerable role of the node of Ranvier for axonal integrity. Furthermore, we show that super-resolution imaging can identify, quantify and map elongated periodic protein distances and protein interaction in histopathological tissue samples. We thus introduce a promising tool for further translational applications of super resolution microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Janis Linke
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; Rudolf Virchow Center, Center for Integrative and Translational Bioimaging, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Hannah S Heil
- Rudolf Virchow Center, Center for Integrative and Translational Bioimaging, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; Optical Cell Biology, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Christine Karus
- Rudolf Virchow Center, Center for Integrative and Translational Bioimaging, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Joachim Schenk
- Rudolf Virchow Center, Center for Integrative and Translational Bioimaging, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Katherina Hemmen
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Claudia Sommer
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Kathrin Doppler
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Katrin G Heinze
- Rudolf Virchow Center, Center for Integrative and Translational Bioimaging, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
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5
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Lorenzo DN, Edwards RJ, Slavutsky AL. Spectrins: molecular organizers and targets of neurological disorders. Nat Rev Neurosci 2023; 24:195-212. [PMID: 36697767 PMCID: PMC10598481 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-022-00674-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Spectrins are cytoskeletal proteins that are expressed ubiquitously in the mammalian nervous system. Pathogenic variants in SPTAN1, SPTBN1, SPTBN2 and SPTBN4, four of the six genes encoding neuronal spectrins, cause neurological disorders. Despite their structural similarity and shared role as molecular organizers at the cell membrane, spectrins vary in expression, subcellular localization and specialization in neurons, and this variation partly underlies non-overlapping disease presentations across spectrinopathies. Here, we summarize recent progress in discerning the local and long-range organization and diverse functions of neuronal spectrins. We provide an overview of functional studies using mouse models, which, together with growing human genetic and clinical data, are helping to illuminate the aetiology of neurological spectrinopathies. These approaches are all critical on the path to plausible therapeutic solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damaris N Lorenzo
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Reginald J Edwards
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Anastasia L Slavutsky
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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6
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Unraveling axonal mechanisms of traumatic brain injury. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:140. [PMID: 36131329 PMCID: PMC9494812 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01414-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Axonal swellings (AS) are one of the neuropathological hallmark of axonal injury in several disorders from trauma to neurodegeneration. Current evidence proposes a role of perturbed Ca2+ homeostasis in AS formation, involving impaired axonal transport and focal distension of the axons. Mechanisms of AS formation, in particular moments following injury, however, remain unknown. Here we show that AS form independently from intra-axonal Ca2+ changes, which are required primarily for the persistence of AS in time. We further show that the majority of axonal proteins undergoing de/phosphorylation immediately following injury belong to the cytoskeleton. This correlates with an increase in the distance of the actin/spectrin periodic rings and with microtubule tracks remodeling within AS. Observed cytoskeletal rearrangements support axonal transport without major interruptions. Our results demonstrate that the earliest axonal response to injury consists in physiological adaptations of axonal structure to preserve function rather than in immediate pathological events signaling axonal destruction.
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7
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Sarkar D, Kang J, Wassie AT, Schroeder ME, Peng Z, Tarr TB, Tang AH, Niederst ED, Young JZ, Su H, Park D, Yin P, Tsai LH, Blanpied TA, Boyden ES. Revealing nanostructures in brain tissue via protein decrowding by iterative expansion microscopy. Nat Biomed Eng 2022; 6:1057-1073. [PMID: 36038771 PMCID: PMC9551354 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-022-00912-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Many crowded biomolecular structures in cells and tissues are inaccessible to labelling antibodies. To understand how proteins within these structures are arranged with nanoscale precision therefore requires that these structures be decrowded before labelling. Here we show that an iterative variant of expansion microscopy (the permeation of cells and tissues by a swellable hydrogel followed by isotropic hydrogel expansion, to allow for enhanced imaging resolution with ordinary microscopes) enables the imaging of nanostructures in expanded yet otherwise intact tissues at a resolution of about 20 nm. The method, which we named 'expansion revealing' and validated with DNA-probe-based super-resolution microscopy, involves gel-anchoring reagents and the embedding, expansion and re-embedding of the sample in homogeneous swellable hydrogels. Expansion revealing enabled us to use confocal microscopy to image the alignment of pre-synaptic calcium channels with post-synaptic scaffolding proteins in intact brain circuits, and to uncover periodic amyloid nanoclusters containing ion-channel proteins in brain tissue from a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Expansion revealing will enable the further discovery of previously unseen nanostructures within cells and tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deblina Sarkar
- Media Lab, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,MIT Center for Neurobiological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,These authors contributed equally
| | - Jinyoung Kang
- MIT McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,These authors contributed equally
| | - Asmamaw T Wassie
- Department of Biological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,These authors contributed equally
| | - Margaret E. Schroeder
- MIT McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Zhuyu Peng
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Tyler B. Tarr
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Ai-Hui Tang
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.,CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230031, China
| | - Emily D. Niederst
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Jennie, Z. Young
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Hanquan Su
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Demian Park
- MIT McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Peng Yin
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Li-Huei Tsai
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA. .,The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA. .,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Thomas A. Blanpied
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.,Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.,Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to Li-Huei Tsai, Thomas A. Blanpied or Edward S. Boyden. , ,
| | - Edward S. Boyden
- MIT Center for Neurobiological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,MIT McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,Department of Biological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,Koch Institute, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,Media Arts and Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics, MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to Li-Huei Tsai, Thomas A. Blanpied or Edward S. Boyden. , ,
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8
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Cytoskeletal assembly in axonal outgrowth and regeneration analyzed on the nanoscale. Sci Rep 2022; 12:14387. [PMID: 35999340 PMCID: PMC9399097 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-18562-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The axonal cytoskeleton is organized in a highly periodic structure, the membrane-associated periodic skeleton (MPS), which is essential to maintain the structure and function of the axon. Here, we use stimulated emission depletion microscopy of primary rat cortical neurons in microfluidic chambers to analyze the temporal and spatial sequence of MPS formation at the distal end of growing axons and during regeneration after axotomy. We demonstrate that the MPS does not extend continuously into the growing axon but develops from patches of periodic βII-spectrin arrangements that grow and coalesce into a continuous scaffold. We estimate that the underlying sequence of assembly, elongation, and subsequent coalescence of periodic βII-spectrin patches takes around 15 h. Strikingly, we find that development of the MPS occurs faster in regenerating axons after axotomy and note marked differences in the morphology of the growth cone and adjacent axonal regions between regenerating and unlesioned axons. Moreover, we find that inhibition of the spectrin-cleaving enzyme calpain accelerates MPS formation in regenerating axons and increases the number of regenerating axons after axotomy. Taken together, we provide here a detailed nanoscale analysis of MPS development in growing axons.
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9
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The Mechanical Microenvironment Regulates Axon Diameters Visualized by Cryo-Electron Tomography. Cells 2022; 11:cells11162533. [PMID: 36010609 PMCID: PMC9406316 DOI: 10.3390/cells11162533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Axonal varicosities or swellings are enlarged structures along axon shafts and profoundly affect action potential propagation and synaptic transmission. These structures, which are defined by morphology, are highly heterogeneous and often investigated concerning their roles in neuropathology, but why they are present in the normal brain remains unknown. Combining confocal microscopy and cryo-electron tomography (Cryo-ET) with in vivo and in vitro systems, we report that non-uniform mechanical interactions with the microenvironment can lead to 10-fold diameter differences within an axon of the central nervous system (CNS). In the brains of adult Thy1-YFP transgenic mice, individual axons in the cortex displayed significantly higher diameter variation than those in the corpus callosum. When being cultured on lacey carbon film-coated electron microscopy (EM) grids, CNS axons formed varicosities exclusively in holes and without microtubule (MT) breakage, and they contained mitochondria, multivesicular bodies (MVBs), and/or vesicles, similar to the axonal varicosities induced by mild fluid puffing. Moreover, enlarged axon branch points often contain MT free ends leading to the minor branch. When the axons were fasciculated by mimicking in vivo axonal bundles, their varicosity levels reduced. Taken together, our results have revealed the extrinsic regulation of the three-dimensional ultrastructures of central axons by the mechanical microenvironment under physiological conditions.
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10
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Leterrier C, Pullarkat PA. Mechanical role of the submembrane spectrin scaffold in red blood cells and neurons. J Cell Sci 2022; 135:276327. [PMID: 35972759 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.259356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Spectrins are large, evolutionarily well-conserved proteins that form highly organized scaffolds on the inner surface of eukaryotic cells. Their organization in different cell types or cellular compartments helps cells withstand mechanical challenges with unique strategies depending on the cell type. This Review discusses our understanding of the mechanical properties of spectrins, their very distinct organization in red blood cells and neurons as two examples, and the contribution of the scaffolds they form to the mechanical properties of these cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Leterrier
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, INP UMR 7051, NeuroCyto, Marseille 13005, France
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11
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Zhou R, Han B, Nowak R, Lu Y, Heller E, Xia C, Chishti AH, Fowler VM, Zhuang X. Proteomic and functional analyses of the periodic membrane skeleton in neurons. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3196. [PMID: 35680881 PMCID: PMC9184744 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30720-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Actin, spectrin, and associated molecules form a membrane-associated periodic skeleton (MPS) in neurons. The molecular composition and functions of the MPS remain incompletely understood. Here, using co-immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry, we identified hundreds of potential candidate MPS-interacting proteins that span diverse functional categories. We examined representative proteins in several of these categories using super-resolution imaging, including previously unknown MPS structural components, as well as motor proteins, cell adhesion molecules, ion channels, and signaling proteins, and observed periodic distributions characteristic of the MPS along the neurites for ~20 proteins. Genetic perturbations of the MPS and its interacting proteins further suggested functional roles of the MPS in axon-axon and axon-dendrite interactions and in axon diameter regulation, and implicated the involvement of MPS interactions with cell adhesion molecules and non-muscle myosin in these roles. These results provide insights into the interactome of the MPS and suggest previously unknown functions of the MPS in neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruobo Zhou
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
| | - Boran Han
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Roberta Nowak
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92307, USA
| | - Yunzhe Lu
- Department of Developmental, Molecular, and Chemical Biology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | - Evan Heller
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Chenglong Xia
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Athar H Chishti
- Department of Developmental, Molecular, and Chemical Biology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | - Velia M Fowler
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92307, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - Xiaowei Zhuang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
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12
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Szikora S, Görög P, Kozma C, Mihály J. Drosophila Models Rediscovered with Super-Resolution Microscopy. Cells 2021; 10:1924. [PMID: 34440693 PMCID: PMC8391832 DOI: 10.3390/cells10081924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
With the advent of super-resolution microscopy, we gained a powerful toolbox to bridge the gap between the cellular- and molecular-level analysis of living organisms. Although nanoscopy is broadly applicable, classical model organisms, such as fruit flies, worms and mice, remained the leading subjects because combining the strength of sophisticated genetics, biochemistry and electrophysiology with the unparalleled resolution provided by super-resolution imaging appears as one of the most efficient approaches to understanding the basic cell biological questions and the molecular complexity of life. Here, we summarize the major nanoscopic techniques and illustrate how these approaches were used in Drosophila model systems to revisit a series of well-known cell biological phenomena. These investigations clearly demonstrate that instead of simply achieving an improvement in image quality, nanoscopy goes far beyond with its immense potential to discover novel structural and mechanistic aspects. With the examples of synaptic active zones, centrosomes and sarcomeres, we will explain the instrumental role of super-resolution imaging pioneered in Drosophila in understanding fundamental subcellular constituents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Szilárd Szikora
- Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Temesvári krt. 62, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary;
| | - Péter Görög
- Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Temesvári krt. 62, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary;
- Doctoral School of Multidisciplinary Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, H-6725 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Csaba Kozma
- Foundation for the Future of Biomedical Sciences in Szeged, Szeged Scientists Academy, Pálfy u. 52/d, H-6725 Szeged, Hungary;
| | - József Mihály
- Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Temesvári krt. 62, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary;
- Department of Genetics, University of Szeged, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary
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13
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Costa AR, Sousa MM. The role of the membrane-associated periodic skeleton in axons. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:5371-5379. [PMID: 34085116 PMCID: PMC11071922 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03867-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The identification of the membrane periodic skeleton (MPS), composed of a periodic lattice of actin rings interconnected by spectrin tetramers, was enabled by the development of super-resolution microscopy, and brought a new exciting perspective to our view of neuronal biology. This exquisite cytoskeleton arrangement plays an important role on mechanisms regulating neuronal (dys)function. The MPS was initially thought to provide mainly for axonal mechanical stability. Since its discovery, the importance of the MPS in multiple aspects of neuronal biology has, however, emerged. These comprise its capacity to act as a signaling platform, regulate axon diameter-with important consequences on the efficiency of axonal transport and electrophysiological properties- participate in the assembly and function of the axon initial segment, and control axon microtubule stability. Recently, MPS disassembly has also surfaced as an early player in the course of axon degeneration. Here, we will discuss the current knowledge on the role of the MPS in axonal physiology and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Rita Costa
- Nerve Regeneration Group, IBMC- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular and i3S- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - Monica Mendes Sousa
- Nerve Regeneration Group, IBMC- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular and i3S- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.
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14
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Schmitz-Elbers M, Lukinavičius G, Smit TH. Live Fluorescence Imaging of F-Actin Organization in Chick Whole Embryo Cultures Using SiR-Actin. Cells 2021; 10:1578. [PMID: 34206626 PMCID: PMC8303455 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Morphogenesis is a continuous process of pattern formation so complex that it requires in vivo monitoring for better understanding. Changes in tissue shape are initiated at the cellular level, where dynamic intracellular F-actin networks determine the shape and motility of cells, influence differentiation and cytokinesis and mediate mechanical signaling. Here, we stain F-actin with the fluorogenic probe SiR-actin for live fluorescence imaging of whole chick embryos. We found that 50 nM SiR-actin in the culture medium is a safe and effective concentration for this purpose, as it provides high labeling density without inducing morphological malformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Schmitz-Elbers
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Amsterdam University Medical Centres, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Gražvydas Lukinavičius
- Chromatin Labeling and Imaging Group, Department of NanoBiophotonics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany;
| | - Theodoor H. Smit
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Amsterdam University Medical Centres, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Centres, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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15
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Cytoskeletal Filaments Deep Inside a Neuron Are not Silent: They Regulate the Precise Timing of Nerve Spikes Using a Pair of Vortices. Symmetry (Basel) 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/sym13050821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hodgkin and Huxley showed that even if the filaments are dissolved, a neuron’s membrane alone can generate and transmit the nerve spike. Regulating the time gap between spikes is the brain’s cognitive key. However, the time modula-tion mechanism is still a mystery. By inserting a coaxial probe deep inside a neuron, we have re-peatedly shown that the filaments transmit electromagnetic signals ~200 μs before an ionic nerve spike sets in. To understand its origin, here, we mapped the electromagnetic vortex produced by a filamentary bundle deep inside a neuron, regulating the nerve spike’s electrical-ionic vortex. We used monochromatic polarized light to measure the transmitted signals beating from the internal components of a cultured neuron. A nerve spike is a 3D ring of the electric field encompassing the perimeter of a neural branch. Several such vortices flow sequentially to keep precise timing for the brain’s cognition. The filaments hold millisecond order time gaps between membrane spikes with microsecond order signaling of electromagnetic vortices. Dielectric resonance images revealed that ordered filaments inside neural branches instruct the ordered grid-like network of actin–beta-spectrin just below the membrane. That layer builds a pair of electric field vortices, which coherently activates all ion-channels in a circular area of the membrane lipid bilayer when a nerve spike propagates. When biomaterials vibrate resonantly with microwave and radio-wave, simultaneous quantum optics capture ultra-fast events in a non-demolition mode, revealing multiple correlated time-domain operations beyond the Hodgkin–Huxley paradigm. Neuron holograms pave the way to understanding the filamentary circuits of a neural network in addition to membrane circuits.
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16
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Miazek A, Zalas M, Skrzymowska J, Bogin BA, Grzymajło K, Goszczynski TM, Levine ZA, Morrow JS, Stankewich MC. Age-dependent ataxia and neurodegeneration caused by an αII spectrin mutation with impaired regulation of its calpain sensitivity. Sci Rep 2021; 11:7312. [PMID: 33790315 PMCID: PMC8012654 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-86470-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The neuronal membrane-associated periodic spectrin skeleton (MPS) contributes to neuronal development, remodeling, and organization. Post-translational modifications impinge on spectrin, the major component of the MPS, but their role remains poorly understood. One modification targeting spectrin is cleavage by calpains, a family of calcium-activated proteases. Spectrin cleavage is regulated by activated calpain, but also by the calcium-dependent binding of calmodulin (CaM) to spectrin. The physiologic significance of this balance between calpain activation and substrate-level regulation of spectrin cleavage is unknown. We report a strain of C57BL/6J mice harboring a single αII spectrin point mutation (Sptan1 c.3293G > A:p.R1098Q) with reduced CaM affinity and intrinsically enhanced sensitivity to calpain proteolysis. Homozygotes are embryonic lethal. Newborn heterozygotes of either gender appear normal, but soon develop a progressive ataxia characterized biochemically by accelerated calpain-mediated spectrin cleavage and morphologically by disruption of axonal and dendritic integrity and global neurodegeneration. Molecular modeling predicts unconstrained exposure of the mutant spectrin's calpain-cleavage site. These results reveal the critical importance of substrate-level regulation of spectrin cleavage for the maintenance of neuronal integrity. Given that excessive activation of calpain proteases is a common feature of neurodegenerative disease and traumatic encephalopathy, we propose that damage to the spectrin MPS may contribute to the neuropathology of many disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arkadiusz Miazek
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114, Wrocław, Poland
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Norwida 31, 50-375, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Michał Zalas
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Joanna Skrzymowska
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Bryan A Bogin
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Krzysztof Grzymajło
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Norwida 31, 50-375, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Tomasz M Goszczynski
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Zachary A Levine
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, 310 Cedar Street, LH108, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Jon S Morrow
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, 310 Cedar Street, LH108, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Michael C Stankewich
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, 310 Cedar Street, LH108, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
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17
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Szalai AM, Siarry B, Lukin J, Giusti S, Unsain N, Cáceres A, Steiner F, Tinnefeld P, Refojo D, Jovin TM, Stefani FD. Super-resolution Imaging of Energy Transfer by Intensity-Based STED-FRET. NANO LETTERS 2021; 21:2296-2303. [PMID: 33621102 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.1c00158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) imaging methods provide unique insight into the spatial distribution of energy transfer and (bio)molecular interaction events, though they deliver average information for an ensemble of events included in a diffraction-limited volume. Coupling super-resolution fluorescence microscopy and FRET has been a challenging and elusive task. Here, we present STED-FRET, a method of general applicability to obtain super-resolved energy transfer images. In addition to higher spatial resolution, STED-FRET provides a more accurate quantification of interaction and has the capacity of suppressing contributions of noninteracting partners, which are otherwise masked by averaging in conventional imaging. The method capabilities were first demonstrated on DNA-origami model systems, verified on uniformly double-labeled microtubules, and then utilized to image biomolecular interactions in the membrane-associated periodic skeleton (MPS) of neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan M Szalai
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bionanociencias (CIBION), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2390, C1425FQD Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Bruno Siarry
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bionanociencias (CIBION), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2390, C1425FQD Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jerónimo Lukin
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA), CONICET, Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Godoy Cruz 2390, C1425FQD Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sebastián Giusti
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA), CONICET, Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Godoy Cruz 2390, C1425FQD Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Nicolás Unsain
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología, Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra (INIMEC, CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC), Friuli 2434, X5016NST Córdoba, Argentina
- Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular, Escuela de Biología, Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular (CeBiCeM, FCEFyN-UNC), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, X5016NST Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Alfredo Cáceres
- Instituto Universitario de Ciencias Biomédicas Cordoba (IUCBC), Centro de Investigación Medicina Traslacional Severo Amuchástegui (CIMETSA), Friuli 2786, X5016NSW Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Florian Steiner
- Department of Chemistry and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Butenandtstraße 5-13 Haus E, 81377 München, Germany
| | - Philip Tinnefeld
- Department of Chemistry and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Butenandtstraße 5-13 Haus E, 81377 München, Germany
| | - Damián Refojo
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA), CONICET, Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Godoy Cruz 2390, C1425FQD Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Thomas M Jovin
- Laboratory of Cellular Dynamics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Fernando D Stefani
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bionanociencias (CIBION), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2390, C1425FQD Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular, Escuela de Biología; Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular (CeBiCeM, FCEFyN - UNC), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Vélez Sarsfield 1611, X5016GCA, Córdoba, Argentina
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18
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Putting the axonal periodic scaffold in order. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2021; 69:33-40. [PMID: 33450534 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2020.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Neurons rely on a unique organization of their cytoskeleton to build, maintain and transform their extraordinarily intricate shapes. After decades of research on the neuronal cytoskeleton, it is exciting that novel assemblies are still discovered thanks to progress in cellular imaging methods. Indeed, super-resolution microscopy has revealed that axons are lined with a periodic scaffold of actin rings, spaced every 190nm by spectrins. Determining the architecture, composition, dynamics, and functions of this membrane-associated periodic scaffold is a current conceptual and technical challenge, as well as a very active area of research. This short review aims at summarizing the latest research on the axonal periodic scaffold, highlighting recent progress and open questions.
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19
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Leterrier C. A Pictorial History of the Neuronal Cytoskeleton. J Neurosci 2021; 41:11-27. [PMID: 33408133 PMCID: PMC7786211 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2872-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Leterrier
- Aix Marseille Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, INP Unité Mixte de Recherche 7051, NeuroCyto, Marseille 13005, France
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20
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Mikhaylova M, Rentsch J, Ewers H. Actomyosin Contractility in the Generation and Plasticity of Axons and Dendritic Spines. Cells 2020; 9:cells9092006. [PMID: 32882840 PMCID: PMC7565476 DOI: 10.3390/cells9092006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Actin and non-muscle myosins have long been known to play important roles in growth cone steering and neurite outgrowth. More recently, novel functions for non-muscle myosin have been described in axons and dendritic spines. Consequently, possible roles of actomyosin contraction in organizing and maintaining structural properties of dendritic spines, the size and location of axon initial segment and axonal diameter are emerging research topics. In this review, we aim to summarize recent findings involving myosin localization and function in these compartments and to discuss possible roles for actomyosin in their function and the signaling pathways that control them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Mikhaylova
- RG Optobiology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, 10115 Berlin, Germany
- DFG Emmy Noether Group ‘Neuronal Protein Transport’, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, ZMNH, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
- Correspondence: (M.M.); (H.E.); Tel.: +49-4074-1055-815 (M.M.); +49-30-838-60644 (H.E.)
| | - Jakob Rentsch
- Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Helge Ewers
- Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany;
- Correspondence: (M.M.); (H.E.); Tel.: +49-4074-1055-815 (M.M.); +49-30-838-60644 (H.E.)
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21
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Lubetzki C, Sol-Foulon N, Desmazières A. Nodes of Ranvier during development and repair in the CNS. Nat Rev Neurol 2020; 16:426-439. [DOI: 10.1038/s41582-020-0375-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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22
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Zhou R, Han B, Xia C, Zhuang X. Membrane-associated periodic skeleton is a signaling platform for RTK transactivation in neurons. Science 2020; 365:929-934. [PMID: 31467223 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaw5937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Actin, spectrin, and related molecules form a membrane-associated periodic skeleton (MPS) in neurons. The function of the MPS, however, remains poorly understood. Using super-resolution imaging, we observed that G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), and related signaling molecules were recruited to the MPS in response to extracellular stimuli, resulting in colocalization of these molecules and RTK transactivation by GPCRs and CAMs, giving rise to extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling. Disruption of the MPS prevented such molecular colocalizations and downstream ERK signaling. ERK signaling in turn caused calpain-dependent MPS degradation, providing a negative feedback that modulates signaling strength. These results reveal an important functional role of the MPS and establish it as a dynamically regulated platform for GPCR- and CAM-mediated RTK signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruobo Zhou
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.,Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Boran Han
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.,Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Chenglong Xia
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.,Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Xiaowei Zhuang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. .,Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.,Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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23
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Brown TL, Macklin WB. The Actin Cytoskeleton in Myelinating Cells. Neurochem Res 2020; 45:684-693. [PMID: 30847860 PMCID: PMC6732044 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-019-02753-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Revised: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Myelinating cells of both the peripheral and central nervous systems (CNSs) undergo dramatic cytoskeletal reorganization in order to differentiate and produce myelin. Myelinating oligodendrocytes in the CNS show a periodic actin pattern, demonstrating tight regulation of actin. Furthermore, recent data demonstrate that actin polymerization drives early cell differentiation and that actin depolymerization drives myelin wrapping. Dysregulation of the actin cytoskeleton in myelinating cells is seen in some disease states. This review highlights the cytoskeletal molecules that regulate differentiation of and myelination by cells of the PNS and CNS, informing our understanding of neural development, in particular myelination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya L Brown
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Cell Biology, Stem Cells, and Development Graduate Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Wendy B Macklin
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
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24
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Martínez GF, Gazal NG, Quassollo G, Szalai AM, Cid-Pellitero ED, Durcan TM, Fon EA, Bisbal M, Stefani FD, Unsain N. Quantitative expansion microscopy for the characterization of the spectrin periodic skeleton of axons using fluorescence microscopy. Sci Rep 2020; 10:2917. [PMID: 32076054 PMCID: PMC7031372 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59856-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Fluorescent nanoscopy approaches have been used to characterize the periodic organization of actin, spectrin and associated proteins in neuronal axons and dendrites. This membrane-associated periodic skeleton (MPS) is conserved across animals, suggesting it is a fundamental component of neuronal extensions. The nanoscale architecture of the arrangement (190 nm) is below the resolution limit of conventional fluorescent microscopy. Fluorescent nanoscopy, on the other hand, requires costly equipment and special analysis routines, which remain inaccessible to most research groups. This report aims to resolve this issue by using protein-retention expansion microscopy (pro-ExM) to reveal the MPS of axons. ExM uses reagents and equipment that are readily accessible in most neurobiology laboratories. We first explore means to accurately estimate the expansion factors of protein structures within cells. We then describe the protocol that produces an expanded specimen that can be examined with any fluorescent microscopy allowing quantitative nanoscale characterization of the MPS. We validate ExM results by direct comparison to stimulated emission depletion (STED) nanoscopy. We conclude that ExM facilitates three-dimensional, multicolor and quantitative characterization of the MPS using accessible reagents and conventional fluorescent microscopes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaby F Martínez
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra (INIMEC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Nahir G Gazal
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra (INIMEC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Gonzalo Quassollo
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra (INIMEC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Alan M Szalai
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bionanociencias (CIBION), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Esther Del Cid-Pellitero
- McGill Parkinson Program, Neurodegenerative Diseases Group, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Thomas M Durcan
- McGill Parkinson Program, Neurodegenerative Diseases Group, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Edward A Fon
- McGill Parkinson Program, Neurodegenerative Diseases Group, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Mariano Bisbal
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra (INIMEC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Instituto Universitario Ciencias Biomédicas de Córdoba (IUCBC), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Fernando D Stefani
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bionanociencias (CIBION), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Nicolas Unsain
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra (INIMEC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
- Instituto Universitario Ciencias Biomédicas de Córdoba (IUCBC), Córdoba, Argentina.
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25
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Hauser M, Yan R, Li W, Repina NA, Schaffer DV, Xu K. The Spectrin-Actin-Based Periodic Cytoskeleton as a Conserved Nanoscale Scaffold and Ruler of the Neural Stem Cell Lineage. Cell Rep 2020; 24:1512-1522. [PMID: 30089262 PMCID: PMC6119594 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Revised: 05/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Through three-dimensional STORM super-resolution microscopy, we resolve the spectrin-actin-based membrane cytoskeleton of neural stem cells (NSCs) and NSC-derived neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. We show that undifferentiated NSCs are capable of forming patches of locally periodic, one-dimensional (1D) membrane cytoskeleton with ~180 nm periodicity. Such periodic structures become increasingly ordered and long-ranging as the NSCs mature into terminally differentiated neuronal and glial cell types, and, during this process, distinct 1D periodic ‘‘strips’’ dominate the flat 2D membranes. Moreover, we report remarkable alignment of the periodic cytoskeletons between abutting cells at axon-axon and axon-oligodendrocyte contacts and identify two adhesion molecules, neurofascin and L1CAM, as candidates to drive this nanoscale alignment. We thus show that a conserved 1D periodic membrane cytoskeletal motif serves as a nanoscale scaffold and ruler to mediate the physical interactions between cell types of the NSC lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan Hauser
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Rui Yan
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Wan Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Nicole A Repina
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - David V Schaffer
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Ke Xu
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Division of Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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26
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Badawi Y, Nishimune H. Super-resolution microscopy for analyzing neuromuscular junctions and synapses. Neurosci Lett 2020; 715:134644. [PMID: 31765730 PMCID: PMC6937598 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.134644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Super-resolution microscopy techniques offer subdiffraction limited resolution that is two- to ten-fold improved compared to that offered by conventional confocal microscopy. This breakthrough in resolution for light microscopy has contributed to new findings in neuroscience and synapse biology. This review will focus on the Structured Illumination Microscopy (SIM), Stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy, and Stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) / Single molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) techniques and compare them for the better understanding of their differences and their suitability for the analysis of synapse biology. In addition, we will discuss a few practical aspects of these microscopic techniques, including resolution, image acquisition speed, multicolor capability, and other advantages and disadvantages. Tips for the improvement of microscopy will be introduced; for example, information resources for recommended dyes, the limitations of multicolor analysis, and capabilities for live imaging. In addition, we will summarize how super-resolution microscopy has been used for analyses of neuromuscular junctions and synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yomna Badawi
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Hiroshi Nishimune
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA.
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27
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Vassilopoulos S, Gibaud S, Jimenez A, Caillol G, Leterrier C. Ultrastructure of the axonal periodic scaffold reveals a braid-like organization of actin rings. Nat Commun 2019; 10:5803. [PMID: 31862971 PMCID: PMC6925202 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13835-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent super-resolution microscopy studies have unveiled a periodic scaffold of actin rings regularly spaced by spectrins under the plasma membrane of axons. However, ultrastructural details are unknown, limiting a molecular and mechanistic understanding of these enigmatic structures. Here, we combine platinum-replica electron and optical super-resolution microscopy to investigate the cortical cytoskeleton of axons at the ultrastructural level. Immunogold labeling and correlative super-resolution/electron microscopy allow us to unambiguously resolve actin rings as braids made of two long, intertwined actin filaments connected by a dense mesh of aligned spectrins. This molecular arrangement contrasts with the currently assumed model of actin rings made of short, capped actin filaments. Along the proximal axon, we resolved the presence of phospho-myosin light chain and the scaffold connection with microtubules via ankyrin G. We propose that braided rings explain the observed stability of the actin-spectrin scaffold and ultimately participate in preserving the axon integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphane Vassilopoulos
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institute of Myology, Centre of Research in Myology, UMRS 974, Paris, France.
| | - Solène Gibaud
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, INP UMR7051, NeuroCyto, Marseille, France
| | - Angélique Jimenez
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, INP UMR7051, NeuroCyto, Marseille, France
| | - Ghislaine Caillol
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, INP UMR7051, NeuroCyto, Marseille, France
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Bucher M, Fanutza T, Mikhaylova M. Cytoskeletal makeup of the synapse: Shaft versus spine. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken) 2019; 77:55-64. [PMID: 31762205 DOI: 10.1002/cm.21583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The ability of neurons to communicate and store information depends on the activity of synapses which can be located on small protrusions (dendritic spines) or directly on the dendritic shaft. The formation, plasticity, and stability of synapses are regulated by the neuronal cytoskeleton. Actin filaments together with microtubules, neurofilaments, septins, and scaffolding proteins orchestrate the structural organization of both shaft and spine synapses, enabling their efficacy in response to synaptic activation. Synapses critically depend on several factors, which are also mediated by the cytoskeleton, including transport and delivery of proteins from the soma, protein synthesis, as well as surface diffusion of membrane proteins. In this minireview, we focus on recent progress made in the field of cytoskeletal elements of the postsynapse and discuss the differences and similarities between synapses located in the spines versus dendritic shaft.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Bucher
- DFG Emmy Noether Group 'Neuronal Protein Transport', Center for Molecular Neurobiology, ZMNH, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tomas Fanutza
- DFG Emmy Noether Group 'Neuronal Protein Transport', Center for Molecular Neurobiology, ZMNH, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marina Mikhaylova
- DFG Emmy Noether Group 'Neuronal Protein Transport', Center for Molecular Neurobiology, ZMNH, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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Stadelmann C, Timmler S, Barrantes-Freer A, Simons M. Myelin in the Central Nervous System: Structure, Function, and Pathology. Physiol Rev 2019; 99:1381-1431. [PMID: 31066630 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00031.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 292] [Impact Index Per Article: 58.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Oligodendrocytes generate multiple layers of myelin membrane around axons of the central nervous system to enable fast and efficient nerve conduction. Until recently, saltatory nerve conduction was considered the only purpose of myelin, but it is now clear that myelin has more functions. In fact, myelinating oligodendrocytes are embedded in a vast network of interconnected glial and neuronal cells, and increasing evidence supports an active role of oligodendrocytes within this assembly, for example, by providing metabolic support to neurons, by regulating ion and water homeostasis, and by adapting to activity-dependent neuronal signals. The molecular complexity governing these interactions requires an in-depth molecular understanding of how oligodendrocytes and axons interact and how they generate, maintain, and remodel their myelin sheaths. This review deals with the biology of myelin, the expanded relationship of myelin with its underlying axons and the neighboring cells, and its disturbances in various diseases such as multiple sclerosis, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders. Furthermore, we will highlight how specific interactions between astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia contribute to demyelination in hereditary white matter pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Stadelmann
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Göttingen , Göttingen , Germany ; Institute of Neuronal Cell Biology, Technical University Munich , Munich , Germany ; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich , Germany ; Department of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Leipzig , Leipzig , Germany ; Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich , Germany ; and Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen , Germany
| | - Sebastian Timmler
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Göttingen , Göttingen , Germany ; Institute of Neuronal Cell Biology, Technical University Munich , Munich , Germany ; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich , Germany ; Department of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Leipzig , Leipzig , Germany ; Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich , Germany ; and Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen , Germany
| | - Alonso Barrantes-Freer
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Göttingen , Göttingen , Germany ; Institute of Neuronal Cell Biology, Technical University Munich , Munich , Germany ; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich , Germany ; Department of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Leipzig , Leipzig , Germany ; Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich , Germany ; and Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen , Germany
| | - Mikael Simons
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Göttingen , Göttingen , Germany ; Institute of Neuronal Cell Biology, Technical University Munich , Munich , Germany ; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich , Germany ; Department of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Leipzig , Leipzig , Germany ; Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich , Germany ; and Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen , Germany
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Reshetniak S, Rizzoli SO. Interrogating Synaptic Architecture: Approaches for Labeling Organelles and Cytoskeleton Components. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2019; 11:23. [PMID: 31507402 PMCID: PMC6716447 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2019.00023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Synaptic transmission has been studied for decades, as a fundamental step in brain function. The structure of the synapse, and its changes during activity, turned out to be key aspects not only in the transfer of information between neurons, but also in cognitive processes such as learning and memory. The overall synaptic morphology has traditionally been studied by electron microscopy, which enables the visualization of synaptic structure in great detail. The changes in the organization of easily identified structures, such as the presynaptic active zone, or the postsynaptic density, are optimally studied via electron microscopy. However, few reliable methods are available for labeling individual organelles or protein complexes in electron microscopy. For such targets one typically relies either on combination of electron and fluorescence microscopy, or on super-resolution fluorescence microscopy. This review focuses on approaches and techniques used to specifically reveal synaptic organelles and protein complexes, such as cytoskeletal assemblies. We place the strongest emphasis on methods detecting the targets of interest by affinity binding, and we discuss the advantages and limitations of each method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofiia Reshetniak
- Institute for Neuro- and Sensory Physiology, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration (BIN), University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Molecular Biology, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Silvio O. Rizzoli
- Institute for Neuro- and Sensory Physiology, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration (BIN), University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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Liu CH, Rasband MN. Axonal Spectrins: Nanoscale Organization, Functional Domains and Spectrinopathies. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:234. [PMID: 31191255 PMCID: PMC6546920 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Spectrin cytoskeletons are found in all metazoan cells, and their physical interactions between actin and ankyrins establish a meshwork that provides cellular structural integrity. With advanced super-resolution microscopy, the intricate spatial organization and associated functional properties of these cytoskeletons can now be analyzed with unprecedented clarity. Long neuronal processes like peripheral sensory and motor axons may be subject to intense mechanical forces including bending, stretching, and torsion. The spectrin-based cytoskeleton is essential to protect axons against these mechanical stresses. Additionally, spectrins are critical for the assembly and maintenance of axonal excitable domains including the axon initial segment and the nodes of Ranvier (NoR). These sites facilitate rapid and efficient action potential initiation and propagation in the nervous system. Recent studies revealed that pathogenic spectrin variants and diseases that protealyze and breakdown spectrins are associated with congenital neurological disorders and nervous system injury. Here, we review recent studies of spectrins in the nervous system and focus on their functions in axonal health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Hsin Liu
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Matthew Neil Rasband
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
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Wang G, Simon DJ, Wu Z, Belsky DM, Heller E, O'Rourke MK, Hertz NT, Molina H, Zhong G, Tessier-Lavigne M, Zhuang X. Structural plasticity of actin-spectrin membrane skeleton and functional role of actin and spectrin in axon degeneration. eLife 2019; 8:e38730. [PMID: 31042147 PMCID: PMC6494423 DOI: 10.7554/elife.38730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 03/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Axon degeneration sculpts neuronal connectivity patterns during development and is an early hallmark of several adult-onset neurodegenerative disorders. Substantial progress has been made in identifying effector mechanisms driving axon fragmentation, but less is known about the upstream signaling pathways that initiate this process. Here, we investigate the behavior of the actin-spectrin-based Membrane-associated Periodic Skeleton (MPS), and effects of actin and spectrin manipulations in sensory axon degeneration. We show that trophic deprivation (TD) of mouse sensory neurons causes a rapid disassembly of the axonal MPS, which occurs prior to protein loss and independently of caspase activation. Actin destabilization initiates TD-related retrograde signaling needed for degeneration; actin stabilization prevents MPS disassembly and retrograde signaling during TD. Depletion of βII-spectrin, a key component of the MPS, suppresses retrograde signaling and protects axons against degeneration. These data demonstrate structural plasticity of the MPS and suggest its potential role in early steps of axon degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guiping Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical BiologyHoward Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
- Department of PhysicsHoward Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - David J Simon
- Laboratory of Brain Development and RepairThe Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
- Department of BiologyStanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
| | - Zhuhao Wu
- Laboratory of Brain Development and RepairThe Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Deanna M Belsky
- Department of BiologyStanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
| | - Evan Heller
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical BiologyHoward Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
- Department of PhysicsHoward Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | | | - Nicholas T Hertz
- Laboratory of Brain Development and RepairThe Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
- Department of BiologyStanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
| | - Henrik Molina
- Proteomics Resource CenterThe Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Guisheng Zhong
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical BiologyHoward Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
- Department of PhysicsHoward Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - Marc Tessier-Lavigne
- Laboratory of Brain Development and RepairThe Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
- Department of BiologyStanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
| | - Xiaowei Zhuang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical BiologyHoward Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
- Department of PhysicsHoward Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
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34
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Abstract
Expansion microscopy is a relatively new approach to super-resolution imaging that uses expandable hydrogels to isotropically increase the physical distance between fluorophores in biological samples such as cell cultures or tissue slices. The classic gel recipe results in an expansion factor of ~4×, with a resolution of 60-80 nm. We have recently developed X10 microscopy, which uses a gel that achieves an expansion factor of ~10×, with a resolution of ~25 nm. Here, we provide a step-by-step protocol for X10 expansion microscopy. A typical experiment consists of seven sequential stages: (i) immunostaining, (ii) anchoring, (iii) polymerization, (iv) homogenization, (v) expansion, (vi) imaging, and (vii) validation. The protocol presented here includes recommendations for optimization, pitfalls and their solutions, and detailed guidelines that should increase reproducibility. Although our protocol focuses on X10 expansion microscopy, we detail which of these suggestions are also applicable to classic fourfold expansion microscopy. We exemplify our protocol using primary hippocampal neurons from rats, but our approach can be used with other primary cells or cultured cell lines of interest. This protocol will enable any researcher with basic experience in immunostainings and access to an epifluorescence microscope to perform super-resolution microscopy with X10. The procedure takes 3 d and requires ~5 h of actively handling the sample for labeling and expansion, and another ~3 h for imaging and analysis.
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35
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Ríos E, Gillespie D, Franzini-Armstrong C. The binding interactions that maintain excitation-contraction coupling junctions in skeletal muscle. J Gen Physiol 2019; 151:593-605. [PMID: 30728215 PMCID: PMC6445584 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201812268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 01/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Calcium for contraction of skeletal muscles is released via tetrameric ryanodine receptor (RYR1) channels of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), which are assembled in ordered arrays called couplons at junctions where the SR abuts T tubules or plasmalemma. Voltage-gated Ca2+ (CaV1.1) channels, found in tubules or plasmalemma, form symmetric complexes called CaV tetrads that associate with and activate underlying RYR tetramers during membrane depolarization by conveying a conformational change. Intriguingly, CaV tetrads regularly skip every other RYR tetramer within the array; therefore, the RYRs underlying tetrads (named V), but not the voltage sensor-lacking (C) RYRs, should be activated by depolarization. Here we hypothesize that the checkerboard association is maintained solely by reversible binary interactions between CaVs and RYRs and test this hypothesis using a quantitative model of the energies that govern CaV1.1-RYR1 binding, which are assumed to depend on number and location of bound CaVs. A Monte Carlo simulation generates large statistical samples and distributions of state variables that can be compared with quantitative features in freeze-fracture images of couplons from various sources. This analysis reveals two necessary model features: (1) the energy of a tetramer must have wells at low and high occupation by CaVs, so that CaVs positively cooperate in binding RYR (an allosteric effect), and (2) a large energy penalty results when two CaVs bind simultaneously to adjacent RYR protomers in adjacent tetramers (a steric clash). Under the hypothesis, V and C channels will eventually reverse roles. Role reversal justifies the presence of sensor-lacking C channels, as a structural and functional reserve for control of muscle contraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Ríos
- Section of Cellular Signaling, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Rush University, Chicago, IL
| | - Dirk Gillespie
- Section of Cellular Signaling, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Rush University, Chicago, IL
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36
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Wang L, Frei MS, Salim A, Johnsson K. Small-Molecule Fluorescent Probes for Live-Cell Super-Resolution Microscopy. J Am Chem Soc 2019; 141:2770-2781. [PMID: 30550714 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b11134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 284] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy is a powerful tool to visualize biomolecules and cellular structures at the nanometer scale. Employing these techniques in living cells has opened up the possibility to study dynamic processes with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. Different physical approaches to super-resolution microscopy have been introduced over the last years. A bottleneck to apply these approaches for live-cell imaging has become the availability of appropriate fluorescent probes that can be specifically attached to biomolecules. In this Perspective, we discuss the role of small-molecule fluorescent probes for live-cell super-resolution microscopy and the challenges that need to be overcome for their generation. Recent trends in the development of labeling strategies are reviewed together with the required chemical and spectroscopic properties of the probes. Finally, selected examples of the use of small-molecule fluorescent probes in live-cell super-resolution microscopy are given.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Wang
- Department of Chemical Biology , Max Planck Institute for Medical Research , Jahnstrasse 29 , 69120 Heidelberg , Germany
| | - Michelle S Frei
- Department of Chemical Biology , Max Planck Institute for Medical Research , Jahnstrasse 29 , 69120 Heidelberg , Germany.,Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering (ISIC), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) , 1015 Lausanne , Switzerland
| | - Aleksandar Salim
- Department of Chemical Biology , Max Planck Institute for Medical Research , Jahnstrasse 29 , 69120 Heidelberg , Germany.,Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering (ISIC), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) , 1015 Lausanne , Switzerland
| | - Kai Johnsson
- Department of Chemical Biology , Max Planck Institute for Medical Research , Jahnstrasse 29 , 69120 Heidelberg , Germany.,Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering (ISIC), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) , 1015 Lausanne , Switzerland
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37
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Sahl SJ, Schönle A, Hell SW. Fluorescence Microscopy with Nanometer Resolution. SPRINGER HANDBOOK OF MICROSCOPY 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-00069-1_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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38
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Tropomodulin Isoform-Specific Regulation of Dendrite Development and Synapse Formation. J Neurosci 2018; 38:10271-10285. [PMID: 30301754 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3325-17.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Revised: 09/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurons of the CNS elaborate highly branched dendritic arbors that host numerous dendritic spines, which serve as the postsynaptic platform for most excitatory synapses. The actin cytoskeleton plays an important role in dendrite development and spine formation, but the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Tropomodulins (Tmods) are a family of actin-binding proteins that cap the slow-growing (pointed) end of actin filaments, thereby regulating the stability, length, and architecture of complex actin networks in diverse cell types. Three members of the Tmod family, Tmod1, Tmod2, and Tmod3 are expressed in the vertebrate CNS, but their function in neuronal development is largely unknown. In this study, we present evidence that Tmod1 and Tmod2 exhibit distinct roles in regulating spine development and dendritic arborization, respectively. Using rat hippocampal tissues from both sexes, we find that Tmod1 and Tmod2 are expressed with distinct developmental profiles: Tmod2 is expressed early during hippocampal development, whereas Tmod1 expression coincides with synaptogenesis. We then show that knockdown of Tmod2, but not Tmod1, severely impairs dendritic branching. Both Tmod1 and Tmod2 are localized to a distinct subspine region where they regulate local F-actin stability. However, the knockdown of Tmod1, but not Tmod2, disrupts spine morphogenesis and impairs synapse formation. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that regulation of the actin cytoskeleton by different members of the Tmod family plays an important role in distinct aspects of dendrite and spine development.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The Tropomodulin family of molecules is best known for controlling the length and stability of actin myofilaments in skeletal muscles. While several Tropomodulin members are expressed in the brain, fundamental knowledge about their role in neuronal function is limited. In this study, we show the unique expression profile and subcellular distribution of Tmod1 and Tmod2 in hippocampal neurons. While both Tmod1 and Tmod2 regulate F-actin stability, we find that they exhibit isoform-specific roles in dendrite development and synapse formation: Tmod2 regulates dendritic arborization, whereas Tmod1 is required for spine development and synapse formation. These findings provide novel insight into the actin regulatory mechanisms underlying neuronal development, thereby shedding light on potential pathways disrupted in a number of neurological disorders.
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Mariano V, Domínguez-Iturza N, Neukomm LJ, Bagni C. Maintenance mechanisms of circuit-integrated axons. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2018; 53:162-173. [PMID: 30241058 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2018.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Adult, circuit-integrated neurons must be maintained and supported for the life span of their host. The attenuation of either maintenance or plasticity leads to impaired circuit function and ultimately to neurodegenerative disorders. Over the last few years, significant discoveries of molecular mechanisms were made that mediate the formation and maintenance of axons. Here, we highlight intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms that ensure the health and survival of axons. We also briefly discuss examples of mutations associated with impaired axonal maintenance identified in specific neurological conditions. A better understanding of these mechanisms will therefore help to define targets for therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vittoria Mariano
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Neurosciences KU Leuven, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nuria Domínguez-Iturza
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Neurosciences KU Leuven, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lukas J Neukomm
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Claudia Bagni
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy.
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40
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Costa AR, Pinto-Costa R, Sousa SC, Sousa MM. The Regulation of Axon Diameter: From Axonal Circumferential Contractility to Activity-Dependent Axon Swelling. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:319. [PMID: 30233318 PMCID: PMC6131297 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In the adult nervous system axon caliber varies widely amongst different tracts. When considering a given axon, its diameter can further fluctuate in space and time, according to processes including the distribution of organelles and activity-dependent mechanisms. In addition, evidence is emerging supporting that in axons circumferential tension/contractility is present. Axonal diameter is generically regarded as being regulated by neurofilaments. When neurofilaments are absent or low, microtubule-dependent mechanisms can also contribute to the regulation of axon caliber. Despite this knowledge, the fine-tune mechanisms controlling diameter and circumferential tension throughout the lifetime of an axon, remain largely elusive. Recent data supports the role of the actin-spectrin-based membrane periodic skeleton and of non-muscle myosin II in the control of axon diameter. However, the cytoskeletal arrangement that underlies circumferential axonal contraction and expansion is still to be discovered. Here, we discuss in a critical viewpoint the existing knowledge on the regulation of axon diameter, with a specific focus on the possible role played by the axonal actin cytoskeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Rita Costa
- Nerve Regeneration Group, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC) and Instituto de Inovação e Investigação em Saúde, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Rita Pinto-Costa
- Nerve Regeneration Group, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC) and Instituto de Inovação e Investigação em Saúde, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Sara Castro Sousa
- Nerve Regeneration Group, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC) and Instituto de Inovação e Investigação em Saúde, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Mónica Mendes Sousa
- Nerve Regeneration Group, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC) and Instituto de Inovação e Investigação em Saúde, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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41
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Sigal YM, Zhou R, Zhuang X. Visualizing and discovering cellular structures with super-resolution microscopy. Science 2018; 361:880-887. [PMID: 30166485 DOI: 10.1126/science.aau1044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 340] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Super-resolution microscopy has overcome a long-held resolution barrier-the diffraction limit-in light microscopy and enabled visualization of previously invisible molecular details in biological systems. Since their conception, super-resolution imaging methods have continually evolved and can now be used to image cellular structures in three dimensions, multiple colors, and living systems with nanometer-scale resolution. These methods have been applied to answer questions involving the organization, interaction, stoichiometry, and dynamics of individual molecular building blocks and their integration into functional machineries in cells and tissues. In this Review, we provide an overview of super-resolution methods, their state-of-the-art capabilities, and their constantly expanding applications to biology, with a focus on the latter. We will also describe the current technical challenges and future advances anticipated in super-resolution imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaron M Sigal
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Ruobo Zhou
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Xiaowei Zhuang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
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42
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Masch JM, Steffens H, Fischer J, Engelhardt J, Hubrich J, Keller-Findeisen J, D'Este E, Urban NT, Grant SGN, Sahl SJ, Kamin D, Hell SW. Robust nanoscopy of a synaptic protein in living mice by organic-fluorophore labeling. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E8047-E8056. [PMID: 30082388 PMCID: PMC6112726 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1807104115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Extending superresolution fluorescence microscopy to living animals has remained a challenging frontier ever since the first demonstration of STED (stimulated emission depletion) nanoscopy in the mouse visual cortex. The use of fluorescent proteins (FPs) in in vivo STED analyses has been limiting available fluorescence photon budgets and attainable image contrasts, in particular for far-red FPs. This has so far precluded the definition of subtle details in protein arrangements at sufficient signal-to-noise ratio. Furthermore, imaging with longer wavelengths holds promise for reducing photostress. Here, we demonstrate that a strategy based on enzymatic self-labeling of the HaloTag fusion protein by high-performance synthetic fluorophore labels provides a robust avenue to superior in vivo analysis with STED nanoscopy in the far-red spectral range. We illustrate our approach by mapping the nanoscale distributions of the abundant scaffolding protein PSD95 at the postsynaptic membrane of excitatory synapses in living mice. With silicon-rhodamine as the reporter fluorophore, we present imaging with high contrast and low background down to ∼70-nm lateral resolution in the visual cortex at ≤25-µm depth. This approach allowed us to identify and characterize the diversity of PSD95 scaffolds in vivo. Besides small round/ovoid shapes, a substantial fraction of scaffolds exhibited a much more complex spatial organization. This highly inhomogeneous, spatially extended PSD95 distribution within the disk-like postsynaptic density, featuring intricate perforations, has not been highlighted in cell- or tissue-culture experiments. Importantly, covisualization of the corresponding spine morphologies enabled us to contextualize the diverse PSD95 patterns within synapses of different orientations and sizes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer-Magdalena Masch
- Department of NanoBiophotonics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Heinz Steffens
- Department of NanoBiophotonics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Joachim Fischer
- Optical Nanoscopy Division, German Cancer Research Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Johann Engelhardt
- Optical Nanoscopy Division, German Cancer Research Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Optical Nanoscopy, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jasmine Hubrich
- Department of NanoBiophotonics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jan Keller-Findeisen
- Department of NanoBiophotonics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Elisa D'Este
- Department of NanoBiophotonics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Nicolai T Urban
- Department of NanoBiophotonics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Seth G N Grant
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, United Kingdom
| | - Steffen J Sahl
- Department of NanoBiophotonics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dirk Kamin
- Department of NanoBiophotonics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany;
- Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Stefan W Hell
- Department of NanoBiophotonics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany;
- Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
- Optical Nanoscopy Division, German Cancer Research Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Optical Nanoscopy, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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43
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Eilers Y, Ta H, Gwosch KC, Balzarotti F, Hell SW. MINFLUX monitors rapid molecular jumps with superior spatiotemporal resolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:6117-6122. [PMID: 29844182 PMCID: PMC6004438 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1801672115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Compared with localization schemes solely based on evaluating patterns of molecular emission, the recently introduced single-molecule localization concept called MINFLUX and the fluorescence nanoscopies derived from it require up to orders of magnitude fewer emissions to attain single-digit nanometer resolution. Here, we demonstrate that the lower number of required fluorescence photons enables MINFLUX to detect molecular movements of a few nanometers at a temporal sampling of well below 1 millisecond. Using fluorophores attached to thermally fluctuating DNA strands as model systems, we demonstrate that measurement times as short as 400 microseconds suffice to localize fluorescent molecules with ∼2-nm precision. Such performance is out of reach for popular camera-based localization by centroid calculation of emission diffraction patterns. Since theoretical limits have not been reached, our results show that emerging MINFLUX nanoscopy bears great potential for dissecting the motions of individual (macro)molecules at hitherto-unattained combinations of spatial and temporal resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvan Eilers
- Department of NanoBiophotonics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Haisen Ta
- Department of NanoBiophotonics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Klaus C Gwosch
- Department of NanoBiophotonics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Francisco Balzarotti
- Department of NanoBiophotonics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Stefan W Hell
- Department of NanoBiophotonics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany;
- Department of Optical Nanoscopy, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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44
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Unsain N, Stefani FD, Cáceres A. The Actin/Spectrin Membrane-Associated Periodic Skeleton in Neurons. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2018; 10:10. [PMID: 29875650 PMCID: PMC5974029 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2018.00010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurons are the most asymmetric cell types, with their axons commonly extending over lengths that are thousand times longer than the diameter of the cell soma. Fluorescence nanoscopy has recently unveiled that actin, spectrin and accompanying proteins form a membrane-associated periodic skeleton (MPS) that is ubiquitously present in mature axons from all neuronal types evaluated so far. The MPS is a regular supramolecular protein structure consisting of actin “rings” separated by spectrin tetramer “spacers”. Although the MPS is best organized in axons, it is also present in dendrites, dendritic spine necks and thin cellular extensions of non-neuronal cells such as oligodendrocytes and microglia. The unique organization of the actin/spectrin skeleton has raised the hypothesis that it might serve to support the extreme physical and structural conditions that axons must resist during the lifespan of an organism. Another plausible function of the MPS consists of membrane compartmentalization and subsequent organization of protein domains. This review focuses on what we know so far about the structure of the MPS in different neuronal subdomains, its dynamics and the emerging evidence of its impact in axonal biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Unsain
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra (INIMEC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Córdoba, Argentina.,Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.,Instituto Universitario Ciencias Biomédicas de Córdoba (IUCBC), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Fernando D Stefani
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bionanociencias (CIBION), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alfredo Cáceres
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra (INIMEC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Córdoba, Argentina.,Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.,Instituto Universitario Ciencias Biomédicas de Córdoba (IUCBC), Córdoba, Argentina
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45
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Gangatharan G, Schneider-Maunoury S, Breau MA. Role of mechanical cues in shaping neuronal morphology and connectivity. Biol Cell 2018; 110:125-136. [PMID: 29698566 DOI: 10.1111/boc.201800003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Neuronal circuits, the functional building blocks of the nervous system, assemble during development through a series of dynamic processes including the migration of neurons to their final position, the growth and navigation of axons and their synaptic connection with target cells. While the role of chemical cues in guiding neuronal migration and axonal development has been extensively analysed, the contribution of mechanical inputs, such as forces and stiffness, has received far less attention. In this article, we review the in vitro and more recent in vivo studies supporting the notion that mechanical signals are critical for multiple aspects of neuronal circuit assembly, from the emergence of axons to the formation of functional synapses. By combining live imaging approaches with tools designed to measure and manipulate the mechanical environment of neurons, the emerging field of neuromechanics will add a new paradigm in our understanding of neuronal development and potentially inspire novel regenerative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Girisaran Gangatharan
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 7622, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement-Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (LBD-IBPS), INSERM, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Sylvie Schneider-Maunoury
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 7622, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement-Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (LBD-IBPS), INSERM, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Marie Anne Breau
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 7622, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement-Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (LBD-IBPS), INSERM, Paris, 75005, France.,Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 8237, Laboratoire Jean Perrin, Paris, 75005, France
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46
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Papandréou MJ, Leterrier C. The functional architecture of axonal actin. Mol Cell Neurosci 2018; 91:151-159. [PMID: 29758267 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2018.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Revised: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The cytoskeleton builds and supports the complex architecture of neurons. It orchestrates the specification, growth, and compartmentation of the axon: axon initial segment, axonal shaft, presynapses. The cytoskeleton must then maintain this intricate architecture for the whole life of its host, but also drive its adaptation to new network demands and changing physiological conditions. Microtubules are readily visible inside axon shafts by electron microscopy, whereas axonal actin study has long been focused on dynamic structures of the axon such as growth cones. Super-resolution microscopy and live-cell imaging have recently revealed new actin-based structures in mature axons: rings, hotspots and trails. This has caused renewed interest for axonal actin, with efforts underway to understand the precise organization and cellular functions of these assemblies. Actin is also present in presynapses, where its arrangement is still poorly defined, and its functions vigorously debated. Here we review the organization of axonal actin, focusing on recent advances and current questions in this rejuvenated field.
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47
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Unsain N, Bordenave MD, Martinez GF, Jalil S, von Bilderling C, Barabas FM, Masullo LA, Johnstone AD, Barker PA, Bisbal M, Stefani FD, Cáceres AO. Remodeling of the Actin/Spectrin Membrane-associated Periodic Skeleton, Growth Cone Collapse and F-Actin Decrease during Axonal Degeneration. Sci Rep 2018; 8:3007. [PMID: 29445221 PMCID: PMC5812996 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-21232-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2017] [Accepted: 01/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Axonal degeneration occurs in the developing nervous system for the appropriate establishment of mature circuits, and is also a hallmark of diverse neurodegenerative diseases. Despite recent interest in the field, little is known about the changes (and possible role) of the cytoskeleton during axonal degeneration. We studied the actin cytoskeleton in an in vitro model of developmental pruning induced by trophic factor withdrawal (TFW). We found that F-actin decrease and growth cone collapse (GCC) occur early after TFW; however, treatments that prevent axonal fragmentation failed to prevent GCC, suggesting independent pathways. Using super-resolution (STED) microscopy we found that the axonal actin/spectrin membrane-associated periodic skeleton (MPS) abundance and organization drop shortly after deprivation, remaining low until fragmentation. Fragmented axons lack MPS (while maintaining microtubules) and acute pharmacological treatments that stabilize actin filaments prevent MPS loss and protect from axonal fragmentation, suggesting that MPS destruction is required for axon fragmentation to proceed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Unsain
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra, INIMEC-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), UNC, Friuli, 2434 - 5016, Córdoba, Argentina. .,Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
| | - Martin D Bordenave
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bionanociencias (CIBION)-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gaby F Martinez
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra, INIMEC-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), UNC, Friuli, 2434 - 5016, Córdoba, Argentina.,Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Sami Jalil
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra, INIMEC-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), UNC, Friuli, 2434 - 5016, Córdoba, Argentina.,Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Catalina von Bilderling
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bionanociencias (CIBION)-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Federico M Barabas
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bionanociencias (CIBION)-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Luciano A Masullo
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bionanociencias (CIBION)-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Aaron D Johnstone
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Philip A Barker
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada
| | - Mariano Bisbal
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra, INIMEC-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), UNC, Friuli, 2434 - 5016, Córdoba, Argentina.,Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Fernando D Stefani
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bionanociencias (CIBION)-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alfredo O Cáceres
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra, INIMEC-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), UNC, Friuli, 2434 - 5016, Córdoba, Argentina. .,Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina. .,Instituto Universitario Ciencias Biomédicas de Córdoba (IUCBC), Córdoba, Argentina.
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48
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Berger SL, Leo-Macias A, Yuen S, Khatri L, Pfennig S, Zhang Y, Agullo-Pascual E, Caillol G, Zhu MS, Rothenberg E, Melendez-Vasquez CV, Delmar M, Leterrier C, Salzer JL. Localized Myosin II Activity Regulates Assembly and Plasticity of the Axon Initial Segment. Neuron 2018; 97:555-570.e6. [PMID: 29395909 PMCID: PMC5805619 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.12.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Revised: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 12/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The axon initial segment (AIS) is the site of action potential generation and a locus of activity-dependent homeostatic plasticity. A multimeric complex of sodium channels, linked via a cytoskeletal scaffold of ankyrin G and beta IV spectrin to submembranous actin rings, mediates these functions. The mechanisms that specify the AIS complex to the proximal axon and underlie its plasticity remain poorly understood. Here we show phosphorylated myosin light chain (pMLC), an activator of contractile myosin II, is highly enriched in the assembling and mature AIS, where it associates with actin rings. MLC phosphorylation and myosin II contractile activity are required for AIS assembly, and they regulate the distribution of AIS components along the axon. pMLC is rapidly lost during depolarization, destabilizing actin and thereby providing a mechanism for activity-dependent structural plasticity of the AIS. Together, these results identify pMLC/myosin II activity as a common link between AIS assembly and plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen L Berger
- Neuroscience Institute and Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | | | - Stephanie Yuen
- Neuroscience Institute and Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Latika Khatri
- Neuroscience Institute and Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Sylvia Pfennig
- Neuroscience Institute and Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Yanqing Zhang
- Neuroscience Institute and Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | | | - Ghislaine Caillol
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, INP UMR7051, 13344 Cedex 15, Marseille, France
| | - Min-Sheng Zhu
- Model Animal Research Center and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal and Disease Study, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China
| | - Eli Rothenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Carmen V Melendez-Vasquez
- Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College, New York, NY 10065, USA; Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Mario Delmar
- Division of Cardiology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | | | - James L Salzer
- Neuroscience Institute and Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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49
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Breau MA, Schneider-Maunoury S. [Stretch-induced axon growth: a universal, yet poorly explored process]. Biol Aujourdhui 2018; 211:215-222. [PMID: 29412131 DOI: 10.1051/jbio/2017028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The growth of axons is a key step in neuronal circuit assembly. The axon starts elongating with the migration of its growth cone in response to molecular signals present in the surrounding embryonic tissues. Following the formation of a synapse between the axon and the target cell, the distance which separates the cell body from the synapse continues to increase to accommodate the growth of the organism. This second phase of elongation, which is universal and crucial since it contributes to an important proportion of the final axon size, has been historically referred to as "stretch-induced axon growth". It is indeed likely to result from a mechanical tension generated by the growth of the body, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly characterized. This article reviews the experimental studies of this process, mainly analysed on cultured neurons so far. The recent development of in vivo imaging techniques and tools to probe and perturb mechanical forces within embryos will shed new light on this universal mode of axonal growth. This knowledge may inspire the design of novel tissue engineering strategies dedicated to brain and spinal cord repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Anne Breau
- Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement, CNRS UMR7622, INSERM U1156, 75005 Paris, France - Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Sylvie Schneider-Maunoury
- Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement, CNRS UMR7622, INSERM U1156, 75005 Paris, France - Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, 75005 Paris, France
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50
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Pan L, Yan R, Li W, Xu K. Super-Resolution Microscopy Reveals the Native Ultrastructure of the Erythrocyte Cytoskeleton. Cell Rep 2018; 22:1151-1158. [DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.12.107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2017] [Revised: 11/23/2017] [Accepted: 12/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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