Work

Voltage compartmentalization in dendritic spines in vivo

Year: 2021

Type: article

Abstract: Dendritic spines mediate most excitatory neurotransmission in the nervous system, so their function must be critical for the brain. Spines are biochemical compartments but might also electrically modify synaptic potentials. Using two-photon microscopy and a genetically encoded voltage indicator, we measured membrane potentials in spines and dendrites from pyramidal neurons in the somatosensory cortex of mice during spontaneous activity and sensory stimulation. Spines and dendrites were depolarized together during action potentials, but, during subthreshold and resting potentials, spines often experienced different voltages than parent dendrites, even activating independently. Spine voltages remained compartmentalized after two-photon optogenetic activation of individual spine heads. We conclude that spines are elementary voltage compartments. The regulation of voltage compartmentalization could be important for synaptic function and plasticity, dendritic integration, and disease states.

Source: Science

DOI: 10.1126/science.abg0501

Authors: Victor Hugo Cornejo, Netanel Ofer, Rafael Yuste

Institution: Columbia University

Language: English

Topic: Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research

Subfield: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health, National Eye Institute, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Awards: Optical methods for imaging and manipulating dendritic spines in vivo, G1480873338, Imaging Functional Connectivity in Visual Cortex, CRCNS: Modeling the nanophysiology of dendritic spines, Effect of GABAergic inhibition of dendritic spines on synaptic pruning in the medial prefrontal cortex during adolescence