Your browser version may not work well with NCBI's Web applications. More information here...
1: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Apr 26;102(17):6166-71. Epub 2005 Apr 14.
Related Articles, Links
Click here to read Click here to read Click here to read
Glutamate induces the rapid formation of spine head protrusions in hippocampal slice cultures.

Richards DA, Mateos JM, Hugel S, de Paola V, Caroni P, Gähwiler BH, McKinney RA.

Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.

Synaptic plasticity at neuronal connections has been well characterized functionally by using electrophysiological approaches, but the structural basis for this phenomenon remains controversial. We have studied the dynamic interactions between presynaptic and postsynaptic structures labeled with FM 4-64 and a membrane-targeted GFP, respectively, in hippocampal slices. Under conditions of reduced neuronal activity (1 muM tetrodotoxin), we observed extension of glutamate receptor-dependent processes from dendritic spines of CA1 pyramidal cells to presynaptic boutons. The formation of these spine head protrusions is blocked by alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptor antagonists and by agents that reduce the release of glutamate from presynaptic terminals. Moreover, spine head protrusions form in response to exogenously applied glutamate, with clear directionality toward the glutamate electrode. Our results suggest that spontaneously released glutamate is sufficient to activate nearby spines, which can then lead to the growth of new postsynaptic processes connecting to a presynaptic site. Spines thus can compare their recent history with that of neighboring synapses and modify local connectivity accordingly.

Publication Types:
PMID: 15831587 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

PMCID: PMC556130