A Distinct Perisynaptic Glial Cell Type Forms Tripartite Neuromuscular Synapses in the Drosophila Adult.

Previous studies of Drosophila flight muscle neuromuscular synapses have revealed their tripartite architecture and established an attractive experimental model for genetic analysis of glial function in synaptic transmission. Here we extend these findings by defining a new Drosophila glial cell type...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Alexandra L Strauss, Fumiko Kawasaki, Richard W Ordway
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2015-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4459971?pdf=render
_version_ 1818581467931869184
author Alexandra L Strauss
Fumiko Kawasaki
Richard W Ordway
author_facet Alexandra L Strauss
Fumiko Kawasaki
Richard W Ordway
author_sort Alexandra L Strauss
collection DOAJ
description Previous studies of Drosophila flight muscle neuromuscular synapses have revealed their tripartite architecture and established an attractive experimental model for genetic analysis of glial function in synaptic transmission. Here we extend these findings by defining a new Drosophila glial cell type, designated peripheral perisynaptic glia (PPG), which resides in the periphery and interacts specifically with fine motor axon branches forming neuromuscular synapses. Identification and specific labeling of PPG was achieved through cell type-specific RNAi-mediated knockdown (KD) of a glial marker, Glutamine Synthetase 2 (GS2). In addition, comparison among different Drosophila neuromuscular synapse models from adult and larval developmental stages indicated the presence of tripartite synapses on several different muscle types in the adult. In contrast, PPG appear to be absent from larval body wall neuromuscular synapses, which do not exhibit a tripartite architecture but rather are imbedded in the muscle plasma membrane. Evolutionary conservation of tripartite synapse architecture and peripheral perisynaptic glia in vertebrates and Drosophila suggests ancient and conserved roles for glia-synapse interactions in synaptic transmission.
first_indexed 2024-12-16T07:33:58Z
format Article
id doaj.art-e33103e6f9604e75a2504ca50fdb2fb7
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1932-6203
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-16T07:33:58Z
publishDate 2015-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj.art-e33103e6f9604e75a2504ca50fdb2fb72022-12-21T22:39:17ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032015-01-01106e012995710.1371/journal.pone.0129957A Distinct Perisynaptic Glial Cell Type Forms Tripartite Neuromuscular Synapses in the Drosophila Adult.Alexandra L StraussFumiko KawasakiRichard W OrdwayPrevious studies of Drosophila flight muscle neuromuscular synapses have revealed their tripartite architecture and established an attractive experimental model for genetic analysis of glial function in synaptic transmission. Here we extend these findings by defining a new Drosophila glial cell type, designated peripheral perisynaptic glia (PPG), which resides in the periphery and interacts specifically with fine motor axon branches forming neuromuscular synapses. Identification and specific labeling of PPG was achieved through cell type-specific RNAi-mediated knockdown (KD) of a glial marker, Glutamine Synthetase 2 (GS2). In addition, comparison among different Drosophila neuromuscular synapse models from adult and larval developmental stages indicated the presence of tripartite synapses on several different muscle types in the adult. In contrast, PPG appear to be absent from larval body wall neuromuscular synapses, which do not exhibit a tripartite architecture but rather are imbedded in the muscle plasma membrane. Evolutionary conservation of tripartite synapse architecture and peripheral perisynaptic glia in vertebrates and Drosophila suggests ancient and conserved roles for glia-synapse interactions in synaptic transmission.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4459971?pdf=render
spellingShingle Alexandra L Strauss
Fumiko Kawasaki
Richard W Ordway
A Distinct Perisynaptic Glial Cell Type Forms Tripartite Neuromuscular Synapses in the Drosophila Adult.
PLoS ONE
title A Distinct Perisynaptic Glial Cell Type Forms Tripartite Neuromuscular Synapses in the Drosophila Adult.
title_full A Distinct Perisynaptic Glial Cell Type Forms Tripartite Neuromuscular Synapses in the Drosophila Adult.
title_fullStr A Distinct Perisynaptic Glial Cell Type Forms Tripartite Neuromuscular Synapses in the Drosophila Adult.
title_full_unstemmed A Distinct Perisynaptic Glial Cell Type Forms Tripartite Neuromuscular Synapses in the Drosophila Adult.
title_short A Distinct Perisynaptic Glial Cell Type Forms Tripartite Neuromuscular Synapses in the Drosophila Adult.
title_sort distinct perisynaptic glial cell type forms tripartite neuromuscular synapses in the drosophila adult
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4459971?pdf=render
work_keys_str_mv AT alexandralstrauss adistinctperisynapticglialcelltypeformstripartiteneuromuscularsynapsesinthedrosophilaadult
AT fumikokawasaki adistinctperisynapticglialcelltypeformstripartiteneuromuscularsynapsesinthedrosophilaadult
AT richardwordway adistinctperisynapticglialcelltypeformstripartiteneuromuscularsynapsesinthedrosophilaadult
AT alexandralstrauss distinctperisynapticglialcelltypeformstripartiteneuromuscularsynapsesinthedrosophilaadult
AT fumikokawasaki distinctperisynapticglialcelltypeformstripartiteneuromuscularsynapsesinthedrosophilaadult
AT richardwordway distinctperisynapticglialcelltypeformstripartiteneuromuscularsynapsesinthedrosophilaadult