Functional Plasticity Triggers Formation and Pruning of Dendritic Spines in Cultured Hippocampal Networks
Year: 2001
Type: article
Abstract: Despite widespread interest in dendritic spines, little is known about the mechanisms responsible for spine formation, retraction, or stabilization. We have now found that a brief exposure of cultured hippocampal neurons to a conditioning medium that favors activation of the NMDA receptor produces long-term modification of their spontaneous network activity. The conditioning protocol enhances correlated activity of neurons in the culture, in a process requiring an increase in [Ca(2+)](i) and is associated with both formation of novel dendritic spines and pruning of others. The novel spines are likely to be touched by a presynaptic terminal, labeled with FM4-64 dye, whereas the absence of such terminals increases the likelihood of spine pruning. These results indicate that long-term functional changes are correlated with morphological modifications of dendritic spines of neurons in a network.
Source: Journal of Neuroscience
Authors: Miri Goldin, Menahem Segal, Elena Avignone
Institution: Weizmann Institute of Science
Language: English
Subfield: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W1603762289