C. elegans neurons have functional dendritic spines
Dendritic spines are specialized postsynaptic structures that transduce presynaptic signals, are regulated by neural activity and correlated with learning and memory. Most studies of spine function have focused on the mammalian nervous system. However, spine-like protrusions have been reported in C....
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
2019-10-01
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| Series: | eLife |
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| Online Access: | https://elifesciences.org/articles/47918 |
| _version_ | 1811253095520272384 |
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| author | Andrea Cuentas-Condori Ben Mulcahy Siwei He Sierra Palumbos Mei Zhen David M Miller III |
| author_facet | Andrea Cuentas-Condori Ben Mulcahy Siwei He Sierra Palumbos Mei Zhen David M Miller III |
| author_sort | Andrea Cuentas-Condori |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Dendritic spines are specialized postsynaptic structures that transduce presynaptic signals, are regulated by neural activity and correlated with learning and memory. Most studies of spine function have focused on the mammalian nervous system. However, spine-like protrusions have been reported in C. elegans (Philbrook et al., 2018), suggesting that the experimental advantages of smaller model organisms could be exploited to study the biology of dendritic spines. Here, we used super-resolution microscopy, electron microscopy, live-cell imaging and genetics to show that C. elegans motor neurons have functional dendritic spines that: (1) are structurally defined by a dynamic actin cytoskeleton; (2) appose presynaptic dense projections; (3) localize ER and ribosomes; (4) display calcium transients triggered by presynaptic activity and propagated by internal Ca++ stores; (5) respond to activity-dependent signals that regulate spine density. These studies provide a solid foundation for a new experimental paradigm that exploits the power of C. elegans genetics and live-cell imaging for fundamental studies of dendritic spine morphogenesis and function. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T16:45:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e74b23b894d6450ebf825f8355d98a77 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-084X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T16:45:36Z |
| publishDate | 2019-10-01 |
| publisher | eLife Sciences Publications Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | eLife |
| spelling | doaj.art-e74b23b894d6450ebf825f8355d98a772022-12-22T03:24:36ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2019-10-01810.7554/eLife.47918C. elegans neurons have functional dendritic spinesAndrea Cuentas-Condori0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4847-0031Ben Mulcahy1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3336-245XSiwei He2Sierra Palumbos3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3595-984XMei Zhen4https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0086-9622David M Miller III5https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9048-873XDepartment of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United StatesLunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, CanadaNeuroscience Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United StatesNeuroscience Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United StatesLunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, CanadaDepartment of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States; Neuroscience Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United StatesDendritic spines are specialized postsynaptic structures that transduce presynaptic signals, are regulated by neural activity and correlated with learning and memory. Most studies of spine function have focused on the mammalian nervous system. However, spine-like protrusions have been reported in C. elegans (Philbrook et al., 2018), suggesting that the experimental advantages of smaller model organisms could be exploited to study the biology of dendritic spines. Here, we used super-resolution microscopy, electron microscopy, live-cell imaging and genetics to show that C. elegans motor neurons have functional dendritic spines that: (1) are structurally defined by a dynamic actin cytoskeleton; (2) appose presynaptic dense projections; (3) localize ER and ribosomes; (4) display calcium transients triggered by presynaptic activity and propagated by internal Ca++ stores; (5) respond to activity-dependent signals that regulate spine density. These studies provide a solid foundation for a new experimental paradigm that exploits the power of C. elegans genetics and live-cell imaging for fundamental studies of dendritic spine morphogenesis and function.https://elifesciences.org/articles/47918dendritic spinesGABAacetylcholinemotor neurons |
| spellingShingle | Andrea Cuentas-Condori Ben Mulcahy Siwei He Sierra Palumbos Mei Zhen David M Miller III C. elegans neurons have functional dendritic spines eLife dendritic spines GABA acetylcholine motor neurons |
| title | C. elegans neurons have functional dendritic spines |
| title_full | C. elegans neurons have functional dendritic spines |
| title_fullStr | C. elegans neurons have functional dendritic spines |
| title_full_unstemmed | C. elegans neurons have functional dendritic spines |
| title_short | C. elegans neurons have functional dendritic spines |
| title_sort | c elegans neurons have functional dendritic spines |
| topic | dendritic spines GABA acetylcholine motor neurons |
| url | https://elifesciences.org/articles/47918 |
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