1
|
Goto Y, Takeda-Kamiya N, Yamaguchi K, Yamazaki M, Toyooka K. Effective alignment method using a diamond notch knife for correlative array tomography. Microscopy (Oxf) 2024:dfae013. [PMID: 38450734 DOI: 10.1093/jmicro/dfae013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Correlative array tomography, combining light and electron microscopy via serial sections, plays a crucial role in the three-dimensional ultrastructural visualization and molecular distribution analysis in biological structures. To address the challenges of aligning fluorescence and electron microscopy images and aligning serial sections of irregularly shaped biological specimens, we developed a diamond notch knife, a new tool for puncturing holes using a diamond needle. The diamond needle featured a triangular and right-angled tip, enabling the drilling of deep holes upon insertion into the polished block face. This study describes the application of the diamond notch knife in correlative array tomography.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yumi Goto
- RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Suehiro-cho 1-7-22, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan
| | - Noriko Takeda-Kamiya
- RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Suehiro-cho 1-7-22, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan
| | - Kaori Yamaguchi
- Syntek Co. LTD., innoba Ota 208, Nakarokugo 4-32-6, Ota-ku, Tokyo 144-0055, Japan
| | - Mikio Yamazaki
- Syntek Co. LTD., innoba Ota 208, Nakarokugo 4-32-6, Ota-ku, Tokyo 144-0055, Japan
| | - Kiminori Toyooka
- RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Suehiro-cho 1-7-22, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kolotuev I. Work smart, not hard: How array tomography can help increase the ultrastructure data output. J Microsc 2023. [PMID: 37626455 DOI: 10.1111/jmi.13217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
Transmission electron microscopy has been essential for understanding cell biology for over six decades. Volume electron microscopy tools, such as serial block face and focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy acquisition, brought a new era to ultrastructure analysis. 'Array Tomography' (AT) refers to sequential image acquisition of resin-embedded sample sections on a large support (coverslip, glass slide, silicon wafers) for immunolabelling with multiple fluorescent labels, occasionally combined with ultrastructure observation. Subsequently, the term was applied to generating and imaging a series of sections to acquire a 3D representation of a structure using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Although this is a valuable application, the potential of AT is to facilitate many tasks that are difficult or even impossible to obtain by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Due to the straightforward nature and versatility of AT sample preparation and image acquisition, the technique can be applied practically to any biological sample for selected sections or volume electron microscopy analysis. Furthermore, in addition to the benefits described here, AT is compatible with morphological analysis, multiplex immunolabelling, immune-gold labelling, and correlative light and electron microscopy workflow applicable for single cells, tissue and small organisms. This versatility makes AT attractive not only for basic research but as a diagnostic tool with a simplified routine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Irina Kolotuev
- Electron Microscopy Facility, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Saunders TS, Pozzolo FE, Heslegrave A, King D, McGeachan RI, Spires-Jones MP, Harris SE, Ritchie C, Muniz-Terrera G, Deary IJ, Cox SR, Zetterberg H, Spires-Jones TL. Predictive blood biomarkers and brain changes associated with age-related cognitive decline. Brain Commun 2023; 5:fcad113. [PMID: 37180996 PMCID: PMC10167767 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcad113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Growing evidence supports the use of plasma levels of tau phosphorylated at threonine 181, amyloid-β, neurofilament light and glial fibrillary acidic protein as promising biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease. While these blood biomarkers are promising for distinguishing people with Alzheimer's disease from healthy controls, their predictive validity for age-related cognitive decline without dementia remains unclear. Further, while tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 is a promising biomarker, the distribution of this phospho-epitope of tau in the brain is unknown. Here, we tested whether plasma levels of tau phosphorylated at threonine 181, amyloid-β, neurofilament light and fibrillary acidic protein predict cognitive decline between ages 72 and 82 in 195 participants in the Lothian birth cohorts 1936 study of cognitive ageing. We further examined post-mortem brain samples from temporal cortex to determine the distribution of tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 in the brain. Several forms of tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 have been shown to contribute to synapse degeneration in Alzheimer's disease, which correlates closely with cognitive decline in this form of dementia, but to date, there have not been investigations of whether tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 is found in synapses in Alzheimer's disease or healthy ageing brain. It was also previously unclear whether tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 accumulated in dystrophic neurites around plaques, which could contribute to tau leakage to the periphery due to impaired membrane integrity in dystrophies. Brain homogenate and biochemically enriched synaptic fractions were examined with western blot to examine tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 levels between groups (n = 10-12 per group), and synaptic and astrocytic localization of tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 were examined using array tomography (n = 6-15 per group), and localization of tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 in plaque-associated dystrophic neurites with associated gliosis were examined with standard immunofluorescence (n = 8-9 per group). Elevated baseline plasma tau phosphorylated at threonine 181, neurofilament light and fibrillary acidic protein predicted steeper general cognitive decline during ageing. Further, increasing tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 over time predicted general cognitive decline in females only. Change in plasma tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 remained a significant predictor of g factor decline when taking into account Alzheimer's disease polygenic risk score, indicating that the increase of blood tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 in this cohort was not only due to incipient Alzheimer's disease. Tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 was observed in synapses and astrocytes in both healthy ageing and Alzheimer's disease brain. We observed that a significantly higher proportion of synapses contain tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 in Alzheimer's disease relative to aged controls. Aged controls with pre-morbid lifetime cognitive resilience had significantly more tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 in fibrillary acidic protein-positive astrocytes than those with pre-morbid lifetime cognitive decline. Further, tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 was found in dystrophic neurites around plaques and in some neurofibrillary tangles. The presence of tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 in plaque-associated dystrophies may be a source of leakage of tau out of neurons that eventually enters the blood. Together, these data indicate that plasma tau phosphorylated at threonine 181, neurofilament light and fibrillary acidic protein may be useful biomarkers of age-related cognitive decline, and that efficient clearance of tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 by astrocytes may promote cognitive resilience.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tyler S Saunders
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
- Edinburgh Dementia Prevention & Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Francesca E Pozzolo
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Amanda Heslegrave
- United Kingdom UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Declan King
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Robert I McGeachan
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Maxwell P Spires-Jones
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Sarah E Harris
- Lothian Birth Cohort studies, Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9AD, UK
| | - Craig Ritchie
- Edinburgh Dementia Prevention & Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Graciela Muniz-Terrera
- Edinburgh Dementia Prevention & Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
- Department of Social Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701, USA
- Latin American Institute for Brain Health (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibanez, Santiago 3485, Chile
| | - Ian J Deary
- Lothian Birth Cohort studies, Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9AD, UK
| | - Simon R Cox
- Lothian Birth Cohort studies, Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9AD, UK
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- United Kingdom UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, S-431 80 Molndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, S-431 80 Molndal, Sweden
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
| | - Tara L Spires-Jones
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ferrer-Raventós P, Puertollano-Martín D, Querol-Vilaseca M, Sánchez-Aced É, Valle-Tamayo N, Cervantes-Gonzalez A, Nuñez-Llaves R, Pegueroles J, Dols-Icardo O, Iulita MF, Aldecoa I, Molina-Porcel L, Sánchez-Valle R, Fortea J, Belbin O, Sirisi S, Lleó A. Amyloid precursor protein 𝛽CTF accumulates in synapses in sporadic and genetic forms of Alzheimer's disease. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2023; 49:e12879. [PMID: 36702749 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Amyloid precursor protein (APP) 𝛽-C-terminal fragment (𝛽CTF) may have a neurotoxic role in Alzheimer's disease (AD). 𝛽CTF accumulates in the brains of patients with sporadic (SAD) and genetic forms of AD. Synapses degenerate early during the pathogenesis of AD. We studied whether the 𝛽CTF accumulates in synapses in SAD, autosomal dominant AD (ADAD) and Down syndrome (DS). METHODS We used array tomography to determine APP at synapses in human AD tissue. We measured 𝛽CTF, A𝛽40, A𝛽42 and phosphorylated tau181 (p-tau181) concentrations in brain homogenates and synaptosomes of frontal and temporal cortex of SAD, ADAD, DS and controls. RESULTS APP colocalised with pre- and post-synaptic markers in human AD brains. APP 𝛽CTF was enriched in AD synaptosomes. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate that 𝛽CTF accumulates in synapses in SAD, ADAD and DS. This finding might suggest a role for 𝛽CTF in synapse degeneration. Therapies aimed at mitigating 𝛽CTF accumulation could be potentially beneficial in AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paula Ferrer-Raventós
- Department of Neurology, Sant Pau Memory Unit, Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - David Puertollano-Martín
- Department of Neurology, Sant Pau Memory Unit, Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Querol-Vilaseca
- Department of Neurology, Sant Pau Memory Unit, Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Érika Sánchez-Aced
- Department of Neurology, Sant Pau Memory Unit, Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Natalia Valle-Tamayo
- Department of Neurology, Sant Pau Memory Unit, Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alba Cervantes-Gonzalez
- Department of Neurology, Sant Pau Memory Unit, Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Raúl Nuñez-Llaves
- Department of Neurology, Sant Pau Memory Unit, Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jordi Pegueroles
- Department of Neurology, Sant Pau Memory Unit, Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Oriol Dols-Icardo
- Department of Neurology, Sant Pau Memory Unit, Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Florencia Iulita
- Department of Neurology, Sant Pau Memory Unit, Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Iban Aldecoa
- Neurological Tissue Bank of the Biobanc-Hospital Clinic-IDIBAPS, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Pathology, Biomedical Diagnostic Center, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Molina-Porcel
- Neurological Tissue Bank of the Biobanc-Hospital Clinic-IDIBAPS, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Barcelona, Spain.,Alzheimer's Disease and Other Cognitive Disorders Unit, Neurology Service, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Raquel Sánchez-Valle
- Neurological Tissue Bank of the Biobanc-Hospital Clinic-IDIBAPS, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Barcelona, Spain.,Alzheimer's Disease and Other Cognitive Disorders Unit, Neurology Service, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan Fortea
- Department of Neurology, Sant Pau Memory Unit, Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Olivia Belbin
- Department of Neurology, Sant Pau Memory Unit, Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sònia Sirisi
- Department of Neurology, Sant Pau Memory Unit, Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Lleó
- Department of Neurology, Sant Pau Memory Unit, Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Davies C, Tulloch J, Yip E, Currie L, Colom-Cadena M, Wegmann S, Hyman BT, Wilkins L, Hooley M, Tzioras M, Spires-Jones TL. Apolipoprotein E isoform does not influence trans-synaptic spread of tau pathology in a mouse model. Brain Neurosci Adv 2023; 7:23982128231191046. [PMID: 37600228 PMCID: PMC10433884 DOI: 10.1177/23982128231191046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
A key hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau in neurofibrillary tangles. This occurs alongside neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Pathological tau propagates through the AD brain in a defined manner, which correlates with neuron and synapse loss and cognitive decline. One proposed mechanism of tau spread is through synaptically connected brain structures. Apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4) genotype is the strongest genetic risk factor for late-onset AD and is associated with increased tau burden. Whether the apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype influences neurodegeneration via tau spread is currently unknown. Here, we demonstrate that virally expressed human tau (with the P301L mutation) injected into mouse entorhinal cortex at 5-6 months or 15-16 months of age spreads trans-synaptically to the hippocampus by 14 weeks post-injection. Injections of tau in mice expressing human APOE2, APOE3 or APOE4, as well as APOE knock-outs, showed that tau can spread trans-synaptically in all genotypes and that APOE genotype and age do not affect the spread of tau. These data suggest that APOE genotype is not directly linked to synaptic spread of tau in our model, but other mechanisms involving non-cell autonomous manners of tau spread are still possible.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin Davies
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jane Tulloch
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ellie Yip
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Lydia Currie
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Marti Colom-Cadena
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Susanne Wegmann
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lewis Wilkins
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Monique Hooley
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Makis Tzioras
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Tara L Spires-Jones
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Hirashima S, Ohta K, Rikimaru-Nishi Y, Togo A, Funatsu T, Tsuneyoshi R, Shima Y, Nakamura KI. Correlative volume-imaging using combined array tomography and FIB-SEM tomography with beam deceleration for 3D architecture visualization in tissue. Microscopy (Oxf) 2022; 71:187-192. [PMID: 35325180 PMCID: PMC9169539 DOI: 10.1093/jmicro/dfac015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Focused ion beamed (FIB) SEM has a higher spatial resolution than other volume-imaging methods owing to the use of ion beams. However, in this method, it is challenging to analyse entire biological structures buried deep in the resin block. We developed a novel volume-imaging method by combining array tomography and FIB-SEM tomography and investigated the chondrocyte ultrastructure. Our method imparts certainty in determining the analysis area such that cracks or areas with poor staining within the block are avoided. The chondrocyte surface showed fine dendritic processes that were thinner than ultrathin sections. Upon combination with immunostaining, this method holds promise for analysing mesoscopic architectures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shingo Hirashima
- Department of Anatomy, Division of Microscopic and Developmental Anatomy, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume 830-0011, Japan
- Dental and Oral Medical Center, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume 830-0011, Japan
| | - Keisuke Ohta
- Department of Anatomy, Division of Microscopic and Developmental Anatomy, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume 830-0011, Japan
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume 830-0011, Japan
| | - Yukiko Rikimaru-Nishi
- Department of Anatomy, Division of Microscopic and Developmental Anatomy, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume 830-0011, Japan
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Maxillofacial Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume 830-0011, Japan
| | - Akinobu Togo
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume 830-0011, Japan
| | - Takashi Funatsu
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume 830-0011, Japan
| | - Risa Tsuneyoshi
- Department of Anatomy, Division of Microscopic and Developmental Anatomy, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume 830-0011, Japan
| | - Yuichi Shima
- Department of Anatomy, Division of Microscopic and Developmental Anatomy, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume 830-0011, Japan
| | - Kei-ichiro Nakamura
- Department of Anatomy, Division of Microscopic and Developmental Anatomy, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume 830-0011, Japan
- Cognitive and Molecular Research Institute of Brain Diseases, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume 830-0011, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Makida S, Kametani K, Hosotani M, Takahashi N, Iwasaki T, Hasegawa Y, Takaya T, Ueda H, Watanabe T. Three-dimensional structural analysis of mitochondria composing each subtype of fast-twitch muscle fibers in chicken. J Vet Med Sci 2022; 84:809-816. [PMID: 35418525 PMCID: PMC9246695 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.22-0080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In a previous study, the three-dimensional structures of mitochondria in type I and type IIb muscle fibers of chicken were analyzed. The study reported differences in the shape of the mitochondria and the distribution of lipid droplets. In this study, we three-dimensionally analyzed mitochondria and lipid droplets of type II muscle fiber subtypes IIa, IIb, and IIc of chicken lateral iliotibial muscle in the same field of view using correlative light electron microscopy (CLEM) and array tomography methods. The reconstructed images showed that the mitochondria of type IIa muscle fiber were thick and aligned along the myofibrils, and many lipid droplets were embedded in the mitochondria. The mitochondria of type IIb muscle fibers were intermittent, aligned along the myofibrils, and showed contact between adjacent horizontal mitochondria. No lipid droplets were observed in type IIb muscle fiber. In type IIc muscle fiber, we observed irregularly shaped mitochondria with small diameters aligned along the myofibrils. Lipid droplets not only were embedded in the mitochondria but also existed independently in some cases. The combination of array tomography and CLEM methods enabled three-dimensional electron microscopic observation of mitochondria in different subtypes of type II muscle fibers. The subtypes of type II muscle fibers differed in mitochondrial occupancy and morphology and in lipid droplet distribution, and characteristics that had been demonstrated biochemically were also demonstrated ultrastructurally.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sachi Makida
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University
| | - Kiyokazu Kametani
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University
| | - Marina Hosotani
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University
| | - Naoki Takahashi
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University
| | - Tomohito Iwasaki
- Department of Food Science and Human Wellness, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment Science, Rakuno Gakuen University
| | - Yasuhiro Hasegawa
- Department of Food Science and Human Wellness, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment Science, Rakuno Gakuen University
| | - Tomohide Takaya
- Department of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Shinshu University
| | - Hiromi Ueda
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University
| | - Takafumi Watanabe
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Kim GT, Bahn S, Kim N, Choi JH, Kim JS, Rah JC. Efficient and Accurate Synapse Detection With Selective Structured Illumination Microscopy on the Putative Regions of Interest of Ultrathin Serial Sections. Front Neuroanat 2021; 15:759816. [PMID: 34867216 PMCID: PMC8634652 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2021.759816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Critical determinants of synaptic functions include subcellular locations, input sources, and specific molecular characteristics. However, there is not yet a reliable and efficient method that can detect synapses. Electron microscopy is a gold-standard method to detect synapses due to its exceedingly high spatial resolution. However, it requires laborious and time-consuming sample preparation and lengthy imaging time with limited labeling methods. Recent advances in various fluorescence microscopy methods have highlighted fluorescence microscopy as a substitute for electron microscopy in reliable synapse detection in a large volume of neural circuits. In particular, array tomography has been verified as a useful tool for neural circuit reconstruction. To further improve array tomography, we developed a novel imaging method, called “structured illumination microscopy on the putative region of interest on ultrathin sections”, which enables efficient and accurate detection of synapses-of-interest. Briefly, based on low-magnification conventional fluorescence microscopy images, synapse candidacy was determined. Subsequently, the coordinates of the regions with candidate synapses were imaged using super-resolution structured illumination microscopy. Using this system, synapses from the high-order thalamic nucleus, the posterior medial nucleus in the barrel cortex were rapidly and accurately imaged.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gyeong Tae Kim
- Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, South Korea.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, South Korea
| | - Sangkyu Bahn
- Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Nari Kim
- Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Joon Ho Choi
- Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Jinseop S Kim
- Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, South Korea.,Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Jong-Cheol Rah
- Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, South Korea.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu, South Korea
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Hirayama M, Onouchi T, Shiogama K, Katoh Y, Takahashi K, Abe M. Visualization of Three-Dimentional Stigmoid Body in FFPE and Ultrathin Sections of Mouse. Microscopy (Oxf) 2021; 71:87-92. [PMID: 34850903 DOI: 10.1093/jmicro/dfab052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntingtin-associated protein 1 (HAP1) is abundantly expressed in the neurons of the central nervous system and forms unique intracytoplasmic inclusions of unknown function called "stigmoid bodies" (STBs). Transmission electron microscopy has revealed that the STBs are aggregates of granules containing cavities with a diameter of 0.5-3 µm. Small STBs fuse to form larger STBs, the size of which is said to vary depending on the developmental growth stage and brain region. Light microscopy can only reveal that these STBs have similar circular shapes, due to its limited resolution. Therefore, light microscopy is only fit for the study of the STB distribution and quantitative changes. We, herein, suggest the adoption of correlative light and electron microscopy, that combines confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, as the method allowing us to identify the HAP1-positive STBs in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) sections. This approach allows us to study the three-dimensional morphology of immunolabeled objects in histopathological specimens. The STBs in FFPE sections of murine hypothalami reflected the transmission electron microscopic images of Epon-embedded STBs, although we were not able to observe any organelle covering the STBs of the FFPE sections. Furthermore, we were able to reconstruct the three-dimensional structure of the STB and we identified it to be of spherical form, covered with mitochondria and rough endoplasmic reticulum, and bearing a cluster of cavities in the center. In the future, we might gain new insights by comparing the 3D structure of the STB between different neurons and under a variety of conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Masaya Hirayama
- Department of Morphology and Diagnostic Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, Fujita Health University, 1-98 Dengakugakubo, Kutsukake-cho, Toyoake, Aichi, 470-1192, Japan.,Department of Biomedical Molecular Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Fujita Health University, 1-98 Dengakugakubo, Kutsukake-cho, Toyoake, Aichi, 470-1192, Japan
| | - Takanori Onouchi
- Center for Joint Research Facilities Support, Research Promotion and Support Headquarters, Fujita Health University, 1-98 Dengakugakubo, Kutsukake-cho, Toyoake, Aichi, 470-1192, Japan
| | - Kazuya Shiogama
- Department of Morphology and Diagnostic Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, Fujita Health University, 1-98 Dengakugakubo, Kutsukake-cho, Toyoake, Aichi, 470-1192, Japan
| | - Yoshimitsu Katoh
- Surgical Training Center, Fujita Health University, 1-98 Dengakugakubo, Kutsukake-cho, Toyoake, Aichi, 470-1192, Japan
| | - Kazuo Takahashi
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Fujita Health University, 1-98 Dengakugakubo, Kutsukake-cho, Toyoake, Aichi, 470-1192, Japan
| | - Masato Abe
- Department of Morphology and Diagnostic Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, Fujita Health University, 1-98 Dengakugakubo, Kutsukake-cho, Toyoake, Aichi, 470-1192, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Lewczuk B, Szyryńska N. Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscope as a Tool for Large-Area and Large-Volume Ultrastructural Studies. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11123390. [PMID: 34944167 PMCID: PMC8698110 DOI: 10.3390/ani11123390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Ultrastructural studies of cells and tissues are usually performed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which enables imaging at the highest possible resolution. The weak point of TEM is the limited ability to analyze the ultrastructure of large areas and volumes of biological samples. This limitation can be overcome by using modern field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) with high-sensitivity detection, which enables the creation of TEM-like images from the flat surfaces of resin-embedded biological specimens. Several FE-SEM-based techniques for two- and three-dimensional ultrastructural studies of cells, tissues, organs, and organisms have been developed in the 21st century. These techniques have created a new era in structural biology and have changed the role of the scanning electron microscope (SEM) in biological and medical laboratories. Since the premiere of the first commercially available SEM in 1965, these instruments were used almost exclusively to obtain topographical information over a large range of magnifications. Currently, FE-SEM offers many attractive possibilities in the studies of cell and tissue ultrastructure, and they are presented in this review. Abstract The development of field-emission scanning electron microscopes for high-resolution imaging at very low acceleration voltages and equipped with highly sensitive detectors of backscattered electrons (BSE) has enabled transmission electron microscopy (TEM)-like imaging of the cut surfaces of tissue blocks, which are impermeable to the electron beam, or tissue sections mounted on the solid substrates. This has resulted in the development of methods that simplify and accelerate ultrastructural studies of large areas and volumes of biological samples. This article provides an overview of these methods, including their advantages and disadvantages. The imaging of large sample areas can be performed using two methods based on the detection of transmitted electrons or BSE. Effective imaging using BSE requires special fixation and en bloc contrasting of samples. BSE imaging has resulted in the development of volume imaging techniques, including array tomography (AT) and serial block-face imaging (SBF-SEM). In AT, serial ultrathin sections are collected manually on a solid substrate such as a glass and silicon wafer or automatically on a tape using a special ultramicrotome. The imaging of serial sections is used to obtain three-dimensional (3D) information. SBF-SEM is based on removing the top layer of a resin-embedded sample using an ultramicrotome inside the SEM specimen chamber and then imaging the exposed surface with a BSE detector. The steps of cutting and imaging the resin block are repeated hundreds or thousands of times to obtain a z-stack for 3D analyses.
Collapse
|
11
|
Micheva KD, Kiraly M, Perez MM, Madison DV. Extensive Structural Remodeling of the Axonal Arbors of Parvalbumin Basket Cells during Development in Mouse Neocortex. J Neurosci 2021; 41:9326-9339. [PMID: 34583957 PMCID: PMC8580153 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0871-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Parvalbumin-containing (PV+) basket cells are specialized cortical interneurons that regulate the activity of local neuronal circuits with high temporal precision and reliability. To understand how the PV+ interneuron connectivity underlying these functional properties is established during development, we used array tomography to map pairs of synaptically connected PV+ interneurons and postsynaptic neurons from the neocortex of mice of both sexes. We focused on the axon-myelin unit of the PV+ interneuron and quantified the number of synapses onto the postsynaptic neuron, length of connecting axonal paths, and their myelination at different time points between 2 weeks and 7 months of age. We find that myelination of the proximal axon occurs very rapidly during the third and, to a lesser extent, fourth postnatal weeks. The number of synaptic contacts made by the PV+ interneuron on its postsynaptic partner meanwhile is significantly reduced to about one-third by the end of the first postnatal month. The number of autapses, the synapses that PV+ interneurons form on themselves, however, remains constant throughout the examined period. Axon reorganizations continue beyond postnatal month 2, with the postsynaptic targets of PV+ interneurons gradually shifting to more proximal locations, and the length of axonal paths and their myelin becoming conspicuously uniform per connection. These continued microcircuit refinements likely provide the structural substrate for the robust inhibitory effects and fine temporal precision of adult PV+ basket cells.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The axon of adult parvalbumin-containing (PV+) interneurons is highly specialized for fast and reliable neurotransmission. It is myelinated and forms synapses mostly onto the cell bodies and proximal dendrites of postsynaptic neurons for maximal impact. In this study, we follow the development of the PV+ interneuron axon, its myelination and synapse formation, revealing a rapid sequence of axonal reorganization, myelination of the PV+ interneuron proximal axon, and pruning of almost two-thirds of the synapses in an individual connection. This is followed by a prolonged period of axon refinement and additional myelination leading to a remarkable precision of connections in the adult mouse cortex, consistent with the temporal precision and fidelity of PV+ interneuron action.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristina D Micheva
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305
| | - Marianna Kiraly
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305
| | - Marc M Perez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305
| | - Daniel V Madison
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Schifferer M, Snaidero N, Djannatian M, Kerschensteiner M, Misgeld T. Niwaki Instead of Random Forests: Targeted Serial Sectioning Scanning Electron Microscopy With Reimaging Capabilities for Exploring Central Nervous System Cell Biology and Pathology. Front Neuroanat 2021; 15:732506. [PMID: 34720890 PMCID: PMC8548362 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2021.732506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ultrastructural analysis of discrete neurobiological structures by volume scanning electron microscopy (SEM) often constitutes a "needle-in-the-haystack" problem and therefore relies on sophisticated search strategies. The appropriate SEM approach for a given relocation task not only depends on the desired final image quality but also on the complexity and required accuracy of the screening process. Block-face SEM techniques like Focused Ion Beam or serial block-face SEM are "one-shot" imaging runs by nature and, thus, require precise relocation prior to acquisition. In contrast, "multi-shot" approaches conserve the sectioned tissue through the collection of serial sections onto solid support and allow reimaging. These tissue libraries generated by Array Tomography or Automated Tape Collecting Ultramicrotomy can be screened at low resolution to target high resolution SEM. This is particularly useful if a structure of interest is rare or has been predetermined by correlated light microscopy, which can assign molecular, dynamic and functional information to an ultrastructure. As such approaches require bridging mm to nm scales, they rely on tissue trimming at different stages of sample processing. Relocation is facilitated by endogenous or exogenous landmarks that are visible by several imaging modalities, combined with appropriate registration strategies that allow overlaying images of various sources. Here, we discuss the opportunities of using multi-shot serial sectioning SEM approaches, as well as suitable trimming and registration techniques, to slim down the high-resolution imaging volume to the actual structure of interest and hence facilitate ambitious targeted volume SEM projects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martina Schifferer
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany
- Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
| | - Nicolas Snaidero
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany
- Institute of Neuronal Cell Biology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Minou Djannatian
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany
- Institute of Neuronal Cell Biology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Martin Kerschensteiner
- Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, Biomedical Center (BMC), Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas Misgeld
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany
- Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
- Institute of Neuronal Cell Biology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Kim N, Bahn S, Choi JH, Kim JS, Rah JC. Synapses from the Motor Cortex and a High-Order Thalamic Nucleus are Spatially Clustered in Proximity to Each Other in the Distal Tuft Dendrites of Mouse Somatosensory Cortex. Cereb Cortex 2021; 32:737-754. [PMID: 34355731 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The posterior medial nucleus of the thalamus (POm) and vibrissal primary motor cortex (vM1) convey essential information to the barrel cortex (S1BF) regarding whisker position and movement. Therefore, understanding the relative spatial relationship of these two inputs is a critical prerequisite for acquiring insights into how S1BF synthesizes information to interpret the location of an object. Using array tomography, we identified the locations of synapses from vM1 and POm on distal tuft dendrites of L5 pyramidal neurons where the two inputs are combined. Synapses from vM1 and POm did not show a significant branchlet preference and impinged on the same set of dendritic branchlets. Within dendritic branches, on the other hand, the two inputs formed robust spatial clusters of their own type. Furthermore, we also observed POm clusters in proximity to vM1 clusters. This work constitutes the first detailed description of the relative distribution of synapses from POm and vM1, which is crucial to elucidate the synaptic integration of whisker-based sensory information.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nari Kim
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41067, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangkyu Bahn
- Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41067, Republic of Korea
| | - Joon Ho Choi
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41067, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinseop S Kim
- Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41067, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Cheol Rah
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41067, Republic of Korea.,Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science & Technology, Daegu 42988, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Micheva KD, Kiraly M, Perez MM, Madison DV. Conduction Velocity Along the Local Axons of Parvalbumin Interneurons Correlates With the Degree of Axonal Myelination. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:3374-3392. [PMID: 33704414 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Parvalbumin-containing (PV+) basket cells in mammalian neocortex are fast-spiking interneurons that regulate the activity of local neuronal circuits in multiple ways. Even though PV+ basket cells are locally projecting interneurons, their axons are myelinated. Can this myelination contribute in any significant way to the speed of action potential propagation along such short axons? We used dual whole cell recordings of synaptically connected PV+ interneurons and their postsynaptic target in acutely prepared neocortical slices from adult mice to measure the amplitude and latency of single presynaptic action potential-evoked inhibitory postsynaptic currents. These same neurons were then imaged with immunofluorescent array tomography, the synapses between them identified and a precise map of the connections was generated, with the exact axonal length and extent of myelin coverage. Our results support that myelination of PV+ basket cells significantly increases conduction velocity, and does so to a degree that can be physiologically relevant.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristina D Micheva
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Marianna Kiraly
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Marc M Perez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Daniel V Madison
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Takahashi N, Kametani K, Ota R, Tangkawattana P, Iwasaki T, Hasegawa Y, Ueda H, Hosotani M, Watanabe T. Three-dimensional ultrastructure reconstruction of tendinous components at the bifurcation of the bovine superficial digital flexor tendon using array and STEM tomographies. J Anat 2021; 238:63-72. [PMID: 32794178 PMCID: PMC7754896 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Tendons transmit force from muscle to bone for joint movement. Tenocytes are a specialized type of fibroblast that produces collagen fibrils in tendons. Their cytoplasmic processes form a network surrounding collagen fibrils to define a collagen fibre. Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains link collagen fibrils and adhere at the D-band of the collagen fibril. In this study, we used array and scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) tomographies to reconstruct the three-dimensional ultrastructure of tenocytes, collagen fibres, collagen fibrils and GAG chains at the bifurcation of the bovine hindlimb superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT). Collagen fibrils comprising a collagen fibre were not aligned uniformly and had at least two running directions. Spindle-shaped tenocytes were arranged along the long axis of a plurality of collagen fibres, where two groups of collagen fibrils with oblique directions to each other exhibited an oblique overlap of the two collagen fibril layers. Collagen fibrils with different running directions were observed in separating layers of about 300 nm in thickness and had diameters of 0-200 nm. About 40% of all collagen fibrils had a peak in the range of 20-40 nm. STEM analysis of the same site where the crossing of collagen fibres was observed by transmission electron microscopy demonstrated the outline of collagen fibrils with a clear D-banding pattern at a regular interval. Collagen fibrils were reconstructed three-dimensionally using continuous images acquired by STEM tomography, which confirmed that the collagen fibrils at the crossing sites did not orientate in layers, but were woven one by one. Higher magnification observation of GAG chains attached between the crossing collagen fibrils revealed numerous GAG chains arranged either vertically or obliquely on collagen fibrils. Furthermore, GAG chains at the cross of collagen fibrils connected the closest D-bands. GAG chains are thought to be universally present between collagen fibrils of the tendon. These observations by array and STEM tomographies increase our knowledge of the anatomy in the bifurcation of the bovine hindlimb SDFT and demonstrate the utility of these new imaging technologies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Takahashi
- Laboratory of Veterinary AnatomySchool of Veterinary MedicineRakuno Gakuen UniversityEbetsuJapan,Present address:
Laboratory of VeterinaryCollege of Bioresource SciencesNihon UniversityFujisawaJapan
| | - Kiyokazu Kametani
- Laboratory of Veterinary AnatomySchool of Veterinary MedicineRakuno Gakuen UniversityEbetsuJapan
| | - Ryo Ota
- Center for Advanced Research of Energy and MaterialsFaculty of EngineeringHokkaido UniversitySapporoJapan
| | - Prasarn Tangkawattana
- Laboratory of Veterinary AnatomySchool of Veterinary MedicineRakuno Gakuen UniversityEbetsuJapan,Faculty of Veterinary MedicineKhon Kaen UniversityKhon KaenThailand
| | - Tomohito Iwasaki
- Department of Food Science and Human WellnessRakuno Gakuen UniversityEbetsuJapan
| | - Yasuhiro Hasegawa
- Department of Food Science and Human WellnessRakuno Gakuen UniversityEbetsuJapan
| | - Hiromi Ueda
- Laboratory of Veterinary AnatomySchool of Veterinary MedicineRakuno Gakuen UniversityEbetsuJapan
| | - Marina Hosotani
- Laboratory of Veterinary AnatomySchool of Veterinary MedicineRakuno Gakuen UniversityEbetsuJapan
| | - Takafumi Watanabe
- Laboratory of Veterinary AnatomySchool of Veterinary MedicineRakuno Gakuen UniversityEbetsuJapan
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Pickett EK, Herrmann AG, McQueen J, Abt K, Dando O, Tulloch J, Jain P, Dunnett S, Sohrabi S, Fjeldstad MP, Calkin W, Murison L, Jackson RJ, Tzioras M, Stevenson A, d'Orange M, Hooley M, Davies C, Colom-Cadena M, Anton-Fernandez A, King D, Oren I, Rose J, McKenzie CA, Allison E, Smith C, Hardt O, Henstridge CM, Hardingham GE, Spires-Jones TL. Amyloid Beta and Tau Cooperate to Cause Reversible Behavioral and Transcriptional Deficits in a Model of Alzheimer's Disease. Cell Rep 2019; 29:3592-3604.e5. [PMID: 31825838 PMCID: PMC6915767 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.11.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2018] [Revised: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
A key knowledge gap blocking development of effective therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the lack of understanding of how amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide and pathological forms of the tau protein cooperate in causing disease phenotypes. Within a mouse tau-deficient background, we probed the molecular, cellular, and behavioral disruption triggered by the influence of wild-type human tau on human Aβ-induced pathology. We find that Aβ and tau work cooperatively to cause a hyperactivity behavioral phenotype and to cause downregulation of transcription of genes involved in synaptic function. In both our mouse model and human postmortem tissue, we observe accumulation of pathological tau in synapses, supporting the potential importance of synaptic tau. Importantly, tau reduction in the mice initiated after behavioral deficits emerge corrects behavioral deficits, reduces synaptic tau levels, and substantially reverses transcriptional perturbations, suggesting that lowering synaptic tau levels may be beneficial in AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor K Pickett
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Abigail G Herrmann
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Jamie McQueen
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute at Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Kimberly Abt
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Owen Dando
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute at Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Jane Tulloch
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute at Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Pooja Jain
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Sophie Dunnett
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Sadaf Sohrabi
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Maria P Fjeldstad
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Will Calkin
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Leo Murison
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Rosemary J Jackson
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK; MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Makis Tzioras
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute at Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Anna Stevenson
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute at Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Marie d'Orange
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Monique Hooley
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute at Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Caitlin Davies
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute at Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Marti Colom-Cadena
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute at Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Alejandro Anton-Fernandez
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute at Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Declan King
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute at Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Iris Oren
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Jamie Rose
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute at Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Chris-Anne McKenzie
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences and Sudden Death Brain Bank, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Elizabeth Allison
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Colin Smith
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences and Sudden Death Brain Bank, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Oliver Hardt
- McGill University Department of Psychology, Montreal QC H3A 1B1, Canada; The University of Edinburgh Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Christopher M Henstridge
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Giles E Hardingham
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute at Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Tara L Spires-Jones
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute at Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Bloss EB, Hunt DL. Revealing the Synaptic Hodology of Mammalian Neural Circuits With Multiscale Neurocartography. Front Neuroinform 2019; 13:52. [PMID: 31427940 PMCID: PMC6690003 DOI: 10.3389/fninf.2019.00052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The functional features of neural circuits are determined by a combination of properties that range in scale from projections systems across the whole brain to molecular interactions at the synapse. The burgeoning field of neurocartography seeks to map these relevant features of brain structure—spanning a volume ∼20 orders of magnitude—to determine how neural circuits perform computations supporting cognitive function and complex behavior. Recent technological breakthroughs in tissue sample preparation, high-throughput electron microscopy imaging, and automated image analyses have produced the first visualizations of all synaptic connections between neurons of invertebrate model systems. However, the sheer size of the central nervous system in mammals implies that reconstruction of the first full brain maps at synaptic scale may not be feasible for decades. In this review, we outline existing and emerging technologies for neurocartography that complement electron microscopy-based strategies and are beginning to derive some basic organizing principles of circuit hodology at the mesoscale, microscale, and nanoscale. Specifically, we discuss how a host of light microscopy techniques including array tomography have been utilized to determine both long-range and subcellular organizing principles of synaptic connectivity. In addition, we discuss how new techniques, such as two-photon serial tomography of the entire mouse brain, have become attractive approaches to dissect the potential connectivity of defined cell types. Ultimately, principles derived from these techniques promise to facilitate a conceptual understanding of how connectomes, and neurocartography in general, can be effectively utilized toward reaching a mechanistic understanding of circuit function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erik B Bloss
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, United States
| | - David L Hunt
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Jackson RJ, Rose J, Tulloch J, Henstridge C, Smith C, Spires-Jones TL. Clusterin accumulates in synapses in Alzheimer's disease and is increased in apolipoprotein E4 carriers. Brain Commun 2019; 1:fcz003. [PMID: 31853523 PMCID: PMC6904249 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcz003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the major challenges in developing effective therapeutic strategies for Alzheimer’s disease is understanding how genetic risk factors contribute to neurodegeneration. The apolipoprotein epsilon 4 isoform (APOE4) and variants in the Clusterin (CLU) gene (also known as apolipoprotein J) are associated with increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Our previous work demonstrated that APOE4 exacerbates synapse degeneration and synaptic accumulation of toxic oligomeric amyloid beta in human Alzheimer’s and mouse models of disease. Here, we observe clusterin in synapses in human Alzheimer's disease brain. The percentage of synapses containing clusterin is higher in APOE4 carriers than APOE3 carriers. Furthermore, we observe oligomeric amyloid beta accumulation within synapses containing clusterin which is also higher in APOE4 carriers. These data link two genetic risk factors with synapse degeneration in Alzheimer’s and support a potential role for clusterin working with APOE in causing synaptic damage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary J Jackson
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Jamie Rose
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jane Tulloch
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Chris Henstridge
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Division of Systems Medicine, Neuroscience, Ninewells Hospital & Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Colin Smith
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Tara L Spires-Jones
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Dittmayer C, Völcker E, Wacker I, Schröder RR, Bachmann S. Modern field emission scanning electron microscopy provides new perspectives for imaging kidney ultrastructure. Kidney Int 2019; 94:625-631. [PMID: 30143069 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2018.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2018] [Revised: 04/09/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Recent progress in electron microscopy (EM) techniques has opened new pathways to study renal tissue in research and pathology. Modern field emission scanning EM may be utilized to scan thin sections of resin-embedded tissue mounted on a conductive support. Here we sought to achieve automated imaging without the typical limitations of transmission EM with equivalent or superior quality. Extended areas of tissue were either imaged in two (nanotomy) or in three dimensions (volume EM) by serial-section-based array tomography. Single-beam and fast-recording multi-beam field emission scanning EM instruments were compared using perfusion-fixed rodent kidneys. High-resolution scans produced excellent images of tissue, cells, and organelles down to macromolecular complexes. Digital stitching of image tiles in both modes allowed seamless Google Earth-like zooming from overview to regions of interest at the nanoscale. Large datasets were created that can be rapidly shared between scientists of different disciplines or pathologists using open source software. Three-dimensional array tomography of thin sections was followed by segmentation to visualize selected features in a large volume. Furthermore, correlative light-EM enabled the identification of functional information in a structural context. Thus, limitations in biomedical transmission EM can be overcome by introducing field emission scanning EM-based technology that permits high-quality, large field-of-view nanotomy, volume EM, and correlative light-EM modes. Advantages of virtual microscopy in clinical and experimental nephrology are illustrated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carsten Dittmayer
- Department of Anatomy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Irene Wacker
- Centre for Advanced Materials, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rasmus R Schröder
- Centre for Advanced Materials, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; BioQuant, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Bachmann
- Department of Anatomy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Micheva KD, Chang EF, Nana AL, Seeley WW, Ting JT, Cobbs C, Lein E, Smith SJ, Weinberg RJ, Madison DV. Distinctive Structural and Molecular Features of Myelinated Inhibitory Axons in Human Neocortex. eNeuro 2018; 5:ENEURO. [PMID: 30406183 DOI: 10.1523/ENEURO.0297-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 09/02/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous types of inhibitory neurons sculpt the performance of human neocortical circuits, with each type exhibiting a constellation of subcellular phenotypic features in support of its specialized functions. Axonal myelination has been absent among the characteristics used to distinguish inhibitory neuron types; in fact, very little is known about myelinated inhibitory axons in human neocortex. Here, using array tomography to analyze samples of neurosurgically excised human neocortex, we show that inhibitory myelinated axons originate predominantly from parvalbumin-containing interneurons. Compared to myelinated excitatory axons, they have higher neurofilament and lower microtubule content, shorter nodes of Ranvier, and more myelin basic protein (MBP) in their myelin sheath. Furthermore, these inhibitory axons have more mitochondria, likely to sustain the high energy demands of parvalbumin interneurons, as well as more 2’,3’-cyclic nucleotide 3’-phosphodiesterase (CNP), a protein enriched in the myelin cytoplasmic channels that are thought to facilitate the delivery of nutrients from ensheathing oligodendrocytes. Our results demonstrate that myelinated axons of parvalbumin inhibitory interneurons exhibit distinctive features that may support the specialized functions of this neuron type in human neocortical circuits.
Collapse
|
21
|
Simhal AK, Gong B, Trimmer JS, Weinberg RJ, Smith SJ, Sapiro G, Micheva KD. A Computational Synaptic Antibody Characterization Tool for Array Tomography. Front Neuroanat 2018; 12:51. [PMID: 30065633 PMCID: PMC6057115 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2018.00051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 05/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Application-specific validation of antibodies is a critical prerequisite for their successful use. Here we introduce an automated framework for characterization and screening of antibodies against synaptic molecules for high-resolution immunofluorescence array tomography (AT). The proposed Synaptic Antibody Characterization Tool (SACT) is designed to provide an automatic, robust, flexible, and efficient tool for antibody characterization at scale. SACT automatically detects puncta of immunofluorescence labeling from candidate antibodies and determines whether a punctum belongs to a synapse. The molecular composition and size of the target synapses expected to contain the antigen is determined by the user, based on biological knowledge. Operationally, the presence of a synapse is defined by the colocalization or adjacency of the candidate antibody punctum to one or more reference antibody puncta. The outputs of SACT are automatically computed measurements such as target synapse density and target specificity ratio that reflect the sensitivity and specificity of immunolabeling with a given candidate antibody. These measurements provide an objective way to characterize and compare the performance of different antibodies against the same target, and can be used to objectively select the antibodies best suited for AT and potentially for other immunolabeling applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anish K Simhal
- Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Belvin Gong
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - James S Trimmer
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Richard J Weinberg
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Stephen J Smith
- Synapse Biology, Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Guillermo Sapiro
- Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Computer Science, Department of Mathematics, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Kristina D Micheva
- Molecular and Cellular Physiology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Wacker IU, Veith L, Spomer W, Hofmann A, Thaler M, Hillmer S, Gengenbach U, Schröder RR. Multimodal Hierarchical Imaging of Serial Sections for Finding Specific Cellular Targets within Large Volumes. J Vis Exp 2018:57059. [PMID: 29630046 PMCID: PMC5933231 DOI: 10.3791/57059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeting specific cells at ultrastructural resolution within a mixed cell population or a tissue can be achieved by hierarchical imaging using a combination of light and electron microscopy. Samples embedded in resin are sectioned into arrays consisting of ribbons of hundreds of ultrathin sections and deposited on pieces of silicon wafer or conductively coated coverslips. Arrays are imaged at low resolution using a digital consumer like smartphone camera or light microscope (LM) for a rapid large area overview, or a wide field fluorescence microscope (fluorescence light microscopy (FLM)) after labeling with fluorophores. After post-staining with heavy metals, arrays are imaged in a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Selection of targets is possible from 3D reconstructions generated by FLM or from 3D reconstructions made from the SEM image stacks at intermediate resolution if no fluorescent markers are available. For ultrastructural analysis, selected targets are finally recorded in the SEM at high-resolution (a few nanometer image pixels). A ribbon-handling tool that can be retrofitted to any ultramicrotome is demonstrated. It helps with array production and substrate removal from the sectioning knife boat. A software platform that allows automated imaging of arrays in the SEM is discussed. Compared to other methods generating large volume EM data, such as serial block-face SEM (SBF-SEM) or focused ion beam SEM (FIB-SEM), this approach has two major advantages: (1) The resin-embedded sample is conserved, albeit in a sliced-up version. It can be stained in different ways and imaged with different resolutions. (2) As the sections can be post-stained, it is not necessary to use samples strongly block-stained with heavy metals to introduce contrast for SEM imaging or render the tissue blocks conductive. This makes the method applicable to a wide variety of materials and biological questions. Particularly prefixed materials e.g., from biopsy banks and pathology labs, can directly be embedded and reconstructed in 3D.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Irene U Wacker
- Cryo Electron Microscopy, Centre for Advanced Materials, Universität Heidelberg; Heidelberg Karlsruhe Research Partnership (HEiKA);
| | - Lisa Veith
- Cryo Electron Microscopy, BioQuant, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg
| | - Waldemar Spomer
- Heidelberg Karlsruhe Research Partnership (HEiKA); Institute for Automation and Applied Computer Science, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
| | - Andreas Hofmann
- Heidelberg Karlsruhe Research Partnership (HEiKA); Institute for Automation and Applied Computer Science, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
| | | | - Stefan Hillmer
- Electron Microscopy Core Facility, Universität Heidelberg
| | - Ulrich Gengenbach
- Heidelberg Karlsruhe Research Partnership (HEiKA); Institute for Automation and Applied Computer Science, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
| | - Rasmus R Schröder
- Cryo Electron Microscopy, Centre for Advanced Materials, Universität Heidelberg; Heidelberg Karlsruhe Research Partnership (HEiKA); Cryo Electron Microscopy, BioQuant, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Pickett EK, Koffie RM, Wegmann S, Henstridge CM, Herrmann AG, Colom-Cadena M, Lleo A, Kay KR, Vaught M, Soberman R, Walsh DM, Hyman BT, Spires-Jones TL. Non-Fibrillar Oligomeric Amyloid-β within Synapses. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 53:787-800. [PMID: 27258414 DOI: 10.3233/jad-160007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by memory loss, insidious cognitive decline, profound neurodegeneration, and the extracellular accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide in senile plaques and intracellular accumulation of tau in neurofibrillary tangles. Loss and dysfunction of synapses are believed to underlie the devastating cognitive decline in AD. A large amount of evidence suggests that oligomeric forms of Aβ associated with senile plaques are toxic to synapses, but the precise sub-synaptic localization of Aβ and which forms are synaptotoxic remain unknown. Here, we characterize the sub-synaptic localization of Aβ oligomers using three high-resolution imaging techniques, stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy, immunogold electron microscopy, and Förster resonance energy transfer in a plaque-bearing mouse model of AD. With all three techniques, we observe oligomeric Aβ inside synaptic terminals. Further, we tested a panel of Aβ antibodies using the relatively high-throughput array tomography technique to determine which forms are present in synapses. Our results show that different oligomeric Aβ species are present in synapses and highlight the potential of array tomography for rapid testing of aggregation state specific Aβ antibodies in brain tissue.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor K Pickett
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Cognitive and Neural Systems, Centre for Dementia Prevention and the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Robert M Koffie
- Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Susanne Wegmann
- Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Christopher M Henstridge
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Cognitive and Neural Systems, Centre for Dementia Prevention and the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Abigail G Herrmann
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Cognitive and Neural Systems, Centre for Dementia Prevention and the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Marti Colom-Cadena
- Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, CIBERNED, Spain
| | - Alberto Lleo
- Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, CIBERNED, Spain
| | - Kevin R Kay
- Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Melissa Vaught
- Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Roy Soberman
- Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Dominic M Walsh
- Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Research, Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Harvard Institutes of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Tara L Spires-Jones
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Cognitive and Neural Systems, Centre for Dementia Prevention and the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, Edinburgh, UK
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Colom-Cadena M, Pegueroles J, Herrmann AG, Henstridge CM, Muñoz L, Querol-Vilaseca M, Martín-Paniello CS, Luque-Cabecerans J, Clarimon J, Belbin O, Núñez-Llaves R, Blesa R, Smith C, McKenzie CA, Frosch MP, Roe A, Fortea J, Andilla J, Loza-Alvarez P, Gelpi E, Hyman BT, Spires-Jones TL, Lleó A. Synaptic phosphorylated α-synuclein in dementia with Lewy bodies. Brain 2017; 140:3204-3214. [PMID: 29177427 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awx275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2017] [Accepted: 08/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Dementia with Lewy bodies is characterized by the accumulation of Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites in the CNS, both of which are composed mainly of aggregated α-synuclein phosphorylated at Ser129. Although phosphorylated α-synuclein is believed to exert toxic effects at the synapse in dementia with Lewy bodies and other α-synucleinopathies, direct evidence for the precise synaptic localization has been difficult to achieve due to the lack of adequate optical microscopic resolution to study human synapses. In the present study we applied array tomography, a microscopy technique that combines ultrathin sectioning of tissue with immunofluorescence allowing precise identification of small structures, to quantitatively investigate the synaptic phosphorylated α-synuclein pathology in dementia with Lewy bodies. We performed array tomography on human brain samples from five patients with dementia with Lewy bodies, five patients with Alzheimer's disease and five healthy control subjects to analyse the presence of phosphorylated α-synuclein immunoreactivity at the synapse and their relationship with synapse size. Main analyses were performed in blocks from cingulate cortex and confirmed in blocks from the striatum of cases with dementia with Lewy bodies. A total of 1 318 700 single pre- or postsynaptic terminals were analysed. We found that phosphorylated α-synuclein is present exclusively in dementia with Lewy bodies cases, where it can be identified in the form of Lewy bodies, Lewy neurites and small aggregates (<0.16 µm3). Between 19% and 25% of phosphorylated α-synuclein deposits were found in presynaptic terminals mainly in the form of small aggregates. Synaptic terminals that co-localized with small aggregates of phosphorylated α-synuclein were significantly larger than those that did not. Finally, a gradient of phosphorylated α-synuclein aggregation in synapses (pre > pre + post > postsynaptic) was observed. These results indicate that phosphorylated α-synuclein is found at the presynaptic terminals of dementia with Lewy bodies cases mainly in the form of small phosphorylated α-synuclein aggregates that are associated with changes in synaptic morphology. Overall, our data support the notion that pathological phosphorylated α-synuclein may disrupt the structure and function of the synapse in dementia with Lewy bodies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martí Colom-Cadena
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jordi Pegueroles
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Abigail G Herrmann
- The University of Edinburgh, UK Dementia Research Institute, Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh Neuroscience, Euan MacDonald Centre, and Centre for Dementia Prevention, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Christopher M Henstridge
- The University of Edinburgh, UK Dementia Research Institute, Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh Neuroscience, Euan MacDonald Centre, and Centre for Dementia Prevention, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Laia Muñoz
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Querol-Vilaseca
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carla San Martín-Paniello
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Joan Luque-Cabecerans
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jordi Clarimon
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Olivia Belbin
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Raúl Núñez-Llaves
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Blesa
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Colin Smith
- University of Edinburgh, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Matthew P Frosch
- Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Allyson Roe
- Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Juan Fortea
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jordi Andilla
- ICFO-Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pablo Loza-Alvarez
- ICFO-Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ellen Gelpi
- Neurological Tissue Bank of the Biobanc-Hospital Clinic-IDIBAPS, Barcelona Spain
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Tara L Spires-Jones
- The University of Edinburgh, UK Dementia Research Institute, Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh Neuroscience, Euan MacDonald Centre, and Centre for Dementia Prevention, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Alberto Lleó
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Wang Z, Jackson RJ, Hong W, Taylor WM, Corbett GT, Moreno A, Liu W, Li S, Frosch MP, Slutsky I, Young-Pearse TL, Spires-Jones TL, Walsh DM. Human Brain-Derived Aβ Oligomers Bind to Synapses and Disrupt Synaptic Activity in a Manner That Requires APP. J Neurosci 2017; 37:11947-66. [PMID: 29101243 DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2009-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2017] [Revised: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 09/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Compelling genetic evidence links the amyloid precursor protein (APP) to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and several theories have been advanced to explain the relationship. A leading hypothesis proposes that a small amphipathic fragment of APP, the amyloid β-protein (Aβ), self-associates to form soluble aggregates that impair synaptic and network activity. Here, we used the most disease-relevant form of Aβ, protein isolated from AD brain. Using this material, we show that the synaptotoxic effects of Aβ depend on expression of APP and that the Aβ-mediated impairment of synaptic plasticity is accompanied by presynaptic effects that disrupt the excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) balance. The net increase in the E/I ratio and inhibition of plasticity are associated with Aβ localizing to synapses and binding of soluble Aβ aggregates to synapses requires the expression of APP. Our findings indicate a role for APP in AD pathogenesis beyond the generation of Aβ and suggest modulation of APP expression as a therapy for AD.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Here, we report on the plasticity-disrupting effects of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) isolated from Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain and the requirement of amyloid precursor protein (APP) for these effects. We show that Aβ-containing AD brain extracts block hippocampal LTP, augment glutamate release probability, and disrupt the excitatory/inhibitory balance. These effects are associated with Aβ localizing to synapses and genetic ablation of APP prevents both Aβ binding and Aβ-mediated synaptic dysfunctions. Our results emphasize the importance of APP in AD and should stimulate new studies to elucidate APP-related targets suitable for pharmacological manipulation.
Collapse
|
26
|
Koike T, Kataoka Y, Maeda M, Hasebe Y, Yamaguchi Y, Suga M, Saito A, Yamada H. A Device for Ribbon Collection for Array Tomography with Scanning Electron Microscopy. Acta Histochem Cytochem 2017; 50:135-140. [PMID: 29276315 PMCID: PMC5736830 DOI: 10.1267/ahc.17013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Accepted: 09/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
“Array tomography” is a method used to observe the fine structure of cells and tissues in a three-dimensional view. In this method, serial ultrathin sections in the ribbon state (ribbons) are mounted on a solid substrate and observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The method may also be used in conjunction with post-embedding immunocytochemistry. However, it is difficult to mount many serial ribbons on a substrate manually. We developed an inexpensive laboratory-made device that mounts ribbons by pulling a nylon fishing line and lifting the substrate up from the water in a knife boat. Using this device, we succeeded in mounting several ribbons consisting a mean of 205.6 (SD: 37.7) serial ultrathin sections on 1.25 (SD: 0.06) × 1.25 (SD: 0.06)-cm silicon substrates. Furthermore, it was confirmed that our method is suitable for ribbons derived from water-soluble resin blocks. We were also able to stain the specimens by post-embedding immunocytochemistry. Thus, our method is useful in mounting numerus sections on a substrate for array tomography with SEM.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Taro Koike
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Science, Kansai Medical University
| | - Yosky Kataoka
- Multi-Modal Microstructure Analysis Unit, RIKEN CLST-JEOL Collaboration Center
- Cellular Function Imaging Team, Division of Bio-function Dynamics Imaging, RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies
| | - Mitsuyo Maeda
- Multi-Modal Microstructure Analysis Unit, RIKEN CLST-JEOL Collaboration Center
| | - Yuji Hasebe
- Multi-Modal Microstructure Analysis Unit, RIKEN CLST-JEOL Collaboration Center
| | - Yuuki Yamaguchi
- Multi-Modal Microstructure Analysis Unit, RIKEN CLST-JEOL Collaboration Center
| | - Mitsuo Suga
- Multi-Modal Microstructure Analysis Unit, RIKEN CLST-JEOL Collaboration Center
| | - Akira Saito
- Institute of Biomedical Science Central Research Center, Kansai Medical University
| | - Hisao Yamada
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Science, Kansai Medical University
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Pickett EK, Henstridge CM, Allison E, Pitstick R, Pooler A, Wegmann S, Carlson G, Hyman BT, Spires-Jones TL. Spread of tau down neural circuits precedes synapse and neuronal loss in the rTgTauEC mouse model of early Alzheimer's disease. Synapse 2017; 71:e21965. [PMID: 28196395 PMCID: PMC5516127 DOI: 10.1002/syn.21965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2016] [Revised: 01/23/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Synaptic dysfunction and loss is the strongest pathological correlate of cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD) with increasing evidence implicating neuropathological tau protein in this process. Despite the knowledge that tau spreads through defined synaptic circuits, it is currently unknown whether synapse loss occurs before the accumulation of tau or as a consequence. To address this, we have used array tomography to examine an rTgTauEC mouse model expressing a P301L human tau transgene and a transgene labeling cytoplasm red (tdTomato) and presynaptic terminals green (Synaptophysin-EGFP). All transgenes are restricted primarily to the entorhinal cortex using the neuropsin promotor to drive tTA expression. It has previously been shown that rTgTauEC mice exhibit neuronal loss in the entorhinal cortex and synapse density loss in the middle molecular layer (MML) of the dentate gyrus at 24 months of age. Here, we observed the density of tau-expressing and total presynapses, and the spread of tau into the postsynapse in the MML of 3-6, 9, and 18 month old red-green-rTgTauEC mice. We observe no loss of synapse density in the MML up to 18 months even in axons expressing tau. Despite the maintenance of synapse density, we see spread of human tau from presynaptic terminals to postsynaptic compartments in the MML at very early ages, indicating that the spread of tau through neural circuits is not due to the degeneration of axon terminals and is an early feature of the disease process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor K Pickett
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Cognitive and Neural Systems, Centre for Dementia Prevention and the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher M Henstridge
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Cognitive and Neural Systems, Centre for Dementia Prevention and the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth Allison
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Cognitive and Neural Systems, Centre for Dementia Prevention and the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | | | - Amy Pooler
- Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Charlestown, Massachusetts
| | - Susanne Wegmann
- Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Charlestown, Massachusetts
| | | | - Bradley T Hyman
- Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Charlestown, Massachusetts
| | - Tara L Spires-Jones
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Cognitive and Neural Systems, Centre for Dementia Prevention and the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Abstract
Synapses are essential units for the flow of information in the brain. Over the last 70 years, synapses have been widely studied in multiple animal models including worms, fruit flies, and rodents. In comparison, the study of human synapses has evolved significantly slower, mainly because of technical limitations. However, three novel methods allowing the analysis of molecular, morphological, and functional properties of human synapses may expand our knowledge of the human brain. Here, we briefly describe these methods, and evaluate how the information provided by each unique approach may contribute to the functional and anatomical analysis of the synaptic component of human brain circuitries. In particular, using tissue from cryopreserved human brains, synaptic plasticity can be studied in isolated synaptosomes by fluorescence analysis of single-synapse long-term potentiation (FASS-LTP), and subpopulations of synapses can be thoroughly assessed in the ribbons of brain tissue by array tomography (AT). Currently, it is also possible to quantify synaptic density in the living human brain by positron emission tomography (PET), using a novel synaptic radio-ligand. Overall, data provided by FASS-LTP, AT, and PET may significantly contribute to the global understanding of synaptic structure and function in both healthy and diseased human brains, thus directly impacting translational research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- G Aleph Prieto
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Carl W Cotman
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Micheva KD, Wolman D, Mensh BD, Pax E, Buchanan J, Smith SJ, Bock DD. A large fraction of neocortical myelin ensheathes axons of local inhibitory neurons. eLife 2016; 5. [PMID: 27383052 PMCID: PMC4972537 DOI: 10.7554/elife.15784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Myelin is best known for its role in increasing the conduction velocity and metabolic efficiency of long-range excitatory axons. Accordingly, the myelin observed in neocortical gray matter is thought to mostly ensheath excitatory axons connecting to subcortical regions and distant cortical areas. Using independent analyses of light and electron microscopy data from mouse neocortex, we show that a surprisingly large fraction of cortical myelin (half the myelin in layer 2/3 and a quarter in layer 4) ensheathes axons of inhibitory neurons, specifically of parvalbumin-positive basket cells. This myelin differs significantly from that of excitatory axons in distribution and protein composition. Myelin on inhibitory axons is unlikely to meaningfully hasten the arrival of spikes at their pre-synaptic terminals, due to the patchy distribution and short path-lengths observed. Our results thus highlight the need for exploring alternative roles for myelin in neocortical circuits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristina D Micheva
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Dylan Wolman
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Brett D Mensh
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Elizabeth Pax
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - JoAnn Buchanan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Stephen J Smith
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Davi D Bock
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Abstract
Recent years have seen a rapidly growing recognition of the complexity and diversity of the myriad individual synaptic connections that define brain synaptic networks. It has also become increasingly apparent that the synapses themselves are a major key to understanding the development, function and adaptability of those synaptic networks. In spite of this growing appreciation, the molecular, structural and functional characteristics of individual synapses and the patterning of their diverse characteristics across functional networks have largely eluded quantitative study with available imaging technologies. Here we offer an overview of new computational imaging methods that promise to bring single-synapse analysis of synaptic networks to the fore. We focus especially on the challenges and opportunities associated with quantitative detection of individual synapses and with measuring individual synapses across network scale populations in mammalian brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alain Burette
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | - Kristina D Micheva
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Richard J Weinberg
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Rah JC, Feng L, Druckmann S, Lee H, Kim J. From a meso- to micro-scale connectome: array tomography and mGRASP. Front Neuroanat 2015; 9:78. [PMID: 26089781 PMCID: PMC4454886 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2015.00078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Mapping mammalian synaptic connectivity has long been an important goal of neuroscience because knowing how neurons and brain areas are connected underpins an understanding of brain function. Meeting this goal requires advanced techniques with single synapse resolution and large-scale capacity, especially at multiple scales tethering the meso- and micro-scale connectome. Among several advanced LM-based connectome technologies, Array Tomography (AT) and mammalian GFP-Reconstitution Across Synaptic Partners (mGRASP) can provide relatively high-throughput mapping synaptic connectivity at multiple scales. AT- and mGRASP-assisted circuit mapping (ATing and mGRASPing), combined with techniques such as retrograde virus, brain clearing techniques, and activity indicators will help unlock the secrets of complex neural circuits. Here, we discuss these useful new tools to enable mapping of brain circuits at multiple scales, some functional implications of spatial synaptic distribution, and future challenges and directions of these endeavors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jong-Cheol Rah
- Korea Brain Research InstituteDaegu, South Korea
- Department of Brain Science, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST)Daegu, South Korea
| | - Linqing Feng
- Center for Functional Connectomics, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST)Seoul, South Korea
| | - Shaul Druckmann
- Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hugh Medical InstituteAshburn, VA, USA
| | - Hojin Lee
- Center for Functional Connectomics, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST)Seoul, South Korea
- Neuroscience Program, University of Science and TechnologyDaejeon, South Korea
| | - Jinhyun Kim
- Center for Functional Connectomics, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST)Seoul, South Korea
- Neuroscience Program, University of Science and TechnologyDaejeon, South Korea
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Wacker I, Chockley P, Bartels C, Spomer W, Hofmann A, Gengenbach U, Singh S, Thaler M, Grabher C, Schröder RR. Array tomography: characterizing FAC-sorted populations of zebrafish immune cells by their 3D ultrastructure. J Microsc 2015; 259:105-113. [PMID: 25611576 PMCID: PMC4670706 DOI: 10.1111/jmi.12223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2014] [Accepted: 12/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
For 3D reconstructions of whole immune cells from zebrafish, isolated from adult animals by FAC-sorting we employed array tomography on hundreds of serial sections deposited on silicon wafers. Image stacks were either recorded manually or automatically with the newly released ZEISS Atlas 5 Array Tomography platform on a Zeiss FEGSEM. To characterize different populations of immune cells, organelle inventories were created by segmenting individual cells. In addition, arrays were used for quantification of cell populations with respect to the various cell types they contained. The detection of immunological synapses in cocultures of cell populations from thymus or WKM with cancer cells helped to identify the cytotoxic nature of these cells. Our results demonstrate the practicality and benefit of AT for high-throughput ultrastructural imaging of substantial volumes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Irene Wacker
- Centre for Advanced Materials, Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Heidelberg Karlsruhe Research Partnership, Heidelberg/Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Peter Chockley
- Institute of Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Carolin Bartels
- Centre for Advanced Materials, Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Waldemar Spomer
- Heidelberg Karlsruhe Research Partnership, Heidelberg/Karlsruhe, Germany.,Institute for Applied Computer Science, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Andreas Hofmann
- Heidelberg Karlsruhe Research Partnership, Heidelberg/Karlsruhe, Germany.,Institute for Applied Computer Science, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Ulrich Gengenbach
- Heidelberg Karlsruhe Research Partnership, Heidelberg/Karlsruhe, Germany.,Institute for Applied Computer Science, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Sachin Singh
- Institute of Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | | | - Clemens Grabher
- Heidelberg Karlsruhe Research Partnership, Heidelberg/Karlsruhe, Germany.,Institute of Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Rasmus R Schröder
- Centre for Advanced Materials, Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Heidelberg Karlsruhe Research Partnership, Heidelberg/Karlsruhe, Germany.,Cryo-EM, CellNetworks, BioQuant Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Rah JC, Bas E, Colonell J, Mishchenko Y, Karsh B, Fetter RD, Myers EW, Chklovskii DB, Svoboda K, Harris TD, Isaac JTR. Thalamocortical input onto layer 5 pyramidal neurons measured using quantitative large-scale array tomography. Front Neural Circuits 2013; 7:177. [PMID: 24273494 PMCID: PMC3824245 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2013.00177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2013] [Accepted: 10/16/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The subcellular locations of synapses on pyramidal neurons strongly influences dendritic integration and synaptic plasticity. Despite this, there is little quantitative data on spatial distributions of specific types of synaptic input. Here we use array tomography (AT), a high-resolution optical microscopy method, to examine thalamocortical (TC) input onto layer 5 pyramidal neurons. We first verified the ability of AT to identify synapses using parallel electron microscopic analysis of TC synapses in layer 4. We then use large-scale array tomography (LSAT) to measure TC synapse distribution on L5 pyramidal neurons in a 1.00 × 0.83 × 0.21 mm3 volume of mouse somatosensory cortex. We found that TC synapses primarily target basal dendrites in layer 5, but also make a considerable input to proximal apical dendrites in L4, consistent with previous work. Our analysis further suggests that TC inputs are biased toward certain branches and, within branches, synapses show significant clustering with an excess of TC synapse nearest neighbors within 5–15 μm compared to a random distribution. Thus, we show that AT is a sensitive and quantitative method to map specific types of synaptic input on the dendrites of entire neurons. We anticipate that this technique will be of wide utility for mapping functionally-relevant anatomical connectivity in neural circuits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jong-Cheol Rah
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Farm Research Campus Ashburn, VA, USA ; Developmental Synaptic Plasticity Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
34
|
Abstract
Recent advances in imaging tools are inspiring zebrafish researchers to tackle ever more ambitious questions in the neurosciences. Behaviorally fundamental conserved neural networks can now be potentially studied using zebrafish from a brain-wide scale to molecular resolution. In this perspective, we offer a roadmap by which a zebrafish researcher can navigate the course from collecting neural activities across the brain associated with a behavior, to unraveling molecular identities and testing the functional relevance of active neurons. In doing so, important insights will be gained as to how neural networks generate behaviors and assimilate changes in synaptic connectivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Louis C Leung
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Sleep Sciences, Beckman Center, Stanford University Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
35
|
Mancuso JJ, Chen Y, Li X, Xue Z, Wong STC. Methods of dendritic spine detection: from Golgi to high-resolution optical imaging. Neuroscience 2012; 251:129-40. [PMID: 22522468 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2011] [Revised: 03/30/2012] [Accepted: 04/05/2012] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Dendritic spines, the bulbous protrusions that form the postsynaptic half of excitatory synapses, are one of the most prominent features of neurons and have been imaged and studied for over a century. In that time, changes in the number and morphology of dendritic spines have been correlated to the developmental process as well as the pathophysiology of a number of neurodegenerative diseases. Due to the sheer scale of synaptic connectivity in the brain, work to date has merely scratched the surface in the study of normal spine function and pathology. This review will highlight traditional approaches to the imaging of dendritic spines and newer approaches made possible by advances in microscopy, protein engineering, and image analysis. The review will also describe recent work that is leading researchers toward the possibility of a systematic and comprehensive study of spine anatomy throughout the brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J J Mancuso
- Department of Systems Medicine and Bioengineering, The Methodist Hospital Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Center for Bioinformatics Research and Imaging in Neurosciences, USA
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
36
|
Oberti D, Kirschmann MA, Hahnloser RHR. Projection neuron circuits resolved using correlative array tomography. Front Neurosci 2011; 5:50. [PMID: 21519397 PMCID: PMC3080615 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2011.00050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2011] [Accepted: 03/28/2011] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Assessment of three-dimensional morphological structure and synaptic connectivity is essential for a comprehensive understanding of neural processes controlling behavior. Different microscopy approaches have been proposed based on light microcopy (LM), electron microscopy (EM), or a combination of both. Correlative array tomography (CAT) is a technique in which arrays of ultrathin serial sections are repeatedly stained with fluorescent antibodies against synaptic molecules and neurotransmitters and imaged with LM and EM (Micheva and Smith, 2007). The utility of this correlative approach is limited by the ability to preserve fluorescence and antigenicity on the one hand, and EM tissue ultrastructure on the other. We demonstrate tissue staining and fixation protocols and a workflow that yield an excellent compromise between these multimodal imaging constraints. We adapt CAT for the study of projection neurons between different vocal brain regions in the songbird. We inject fluorescent tracers of different colors into afferent and efferent areas of HVC in zebra finches. Fluorescence of some tracers is lost during tissue preparation but recovered using anti-dye antibodies. Synapses are identified in EM imagery based on their morphology and ultrastructure and classified into projection neuron type based on fluorescence signal. Our adaptation of array tomography, involving the use of fluorescent tracers and heavy-metal rich staining and embedding protocols for high membrane contrast in EM will be useful for research aimed at statistically describing connectivity between different projection neuron types and for elucidating how sensory signals are routed in the brain and transformed into a meaningful motor output.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Oberti
- Institute of Neuroinformatics, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
37
|
Robles E, Smith SJ, Baier H. Characterization of genetically targeted neuron types in the zebrafish optic tectum. Front Neural Circuits 2011; 5:1. [PMID: 21390291 PMCID: PMC3046383 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2011.00001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2010] [Accepted: 02/02/2011] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The optically transparent larval zebrafish is ideally suited for in vivo analyses of neural circuitry controlling visually guided behaviors. However, there is a lack of information regarding specific cell types in the major retinorecipient brain region of the fish, the optic tectum. Here we report the characterization of three previously unidentified tectal cell types that are specifically labeled by dlx5/6 enhancer elements. In vivo laser-scanning microscopy in conjunction with ex vivo array tomography revealed that these neurons differ in their morphologies, synaptic connectivity, and neurotransmitter phenotypes. The first type is an excitatory bistratified periventricular interneuron that forms a dendritic arbor in the retinorecipient stratum fibrosum et griseum superficiale (SFGS) and an axonal arbor in the stratum griseum centrale (SGC). The second type, a GABAergic non-stratified periventricular interneuron, extends a bushy arbor containing both dendrites and axons into the SGC and the deepest sublayers of the SFGS. The third type is a GABAergic periventricular projection neuron that extends a dendritic arbor into the SGC and a long axon to the torus semicircularis, medulla oblongata, and anterior hindbrain. Interestingly, the same axons form en passant synapses within the deepest neuropil layer of the tectum, the stratum album centrale. This approach revealed several novel aspects of tectal circuitry, including: (1) a glutamatergic mode of transmission from the superficial, retinorecipient neuropil layers to the deeper, output layers, (2) the presence of interneurons with mixed dendrite/axon arbors likely involved in local processing, and (3) a heretofore unknown GABAergic tectofugal projection to midbrain and hindbrain. These observations establish a framework for studying the morphological and functional differentiation of neural circuits in the zebrafish visual system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Estuardo Robles
- Department of Physiology, University of California San Francisco San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
38
|
Oberti D, Kirschmann MA, Hahnloser RHR. Correlative microscopy of densely labeled projection neurons using neural tracers. Front Neuroanat 2010; 4:24. [PMID: 20676237 PMCID: PMC2912169 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2010.00024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2010] [Accepted: 05/14/2010] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional morphological information about neural microcircuits is of high interest in neuroscience, but acquiring this information remains challenging. A promising new correlative technique for brain imaging is array tomography (Micheva and Smith, 2007), in which series of ultrathin brain sections are treated with fluorescent antibodies against neurotransmitters and synaptic proteins. Treated sections are repeatedly imaged in the fluorescence light microscope (FLM) and then in the electron microscope (EM). We explore a similar correlative imaging technique in which we differentially label distinct populations of projection neurons, the key routers of electrical signals in the brain. In songbirds, projection neurons can easily be labeled using neural tracers, because the vocal control areas are segregated into separate nuclei. We inject tracers into areas afferent and efferent to the main premotor area for vocal production, HVC, to retrogradely and anterogradely label different classes of projection neurons. We optimize tissue preparation protocols to achieve high fluorescence contrast in the FLM and good ultrastructure in the EM (using osmium tetroxide). Although tracer fluorescence is lost during EM preparation, we localize the tracer molecules after fixation and embedding by using fluorescent antibodies against them. We detect signals mainly in somata and dendrites, allowing us to classify synapses within a single ultrathin section as belonging to a particular type of projection neuron. The use of our method will be to provide statistical information about connectivity among different neuron classes, and to elucidate how signals in the brain are processed and routed among different areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Oberti
- Institute of Neuroinformatics, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | | |
Collapse
|