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Imaging of spine synapses using super-resolution microscopy

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Abstract

Neuronal circuits in the neocortex and hippocampus are essential for higher brain functions such as motor learning and spatial memory. In the mammalian forebrain, most excitatory synapses of pyramidal neurons are formed on spines, which are tiny protrusions extending from the dendritic shaft. The spine contains specialized molecular machinery that regulates synaptic transmission and plasticity. Spine size correlates with the efficacy of synaptic transmission, and spine morphology affects signal transduction at the post-synaptic compartment. Plasticity-related changes in the structural and molecular organization of spine synapses are thought to underlie the cellular basis of learning and memory. Recent advances in super-resolution microscopy have revealed the molecular mechanisms of the nanoscale synaptic structures regulating synaptic transmission and plasticity in living neurons, which are difficult to investigate using electron microscopy alone. In this review, we summarize recent advances in super-resolution imaging of spine synapses and discuss the implications of nanoscale structures in the regulation of synaptic function, learning, and memory.

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Fig. 1

(reproduced from Kashiwagi et al. 2019)

Fig. 2

(reproduced from Wegner et al. 2018)

Fig. 3

(reproduced from Sidenstein et al. 2016)

Fig. 4

(reproduced from Kashiwagi et al. 2019)

Fig. 5

(reproduce from Kashiwagi et al. 2019)

Fig. 6

(reproduced from Kashiwagi et al. 2019)

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. Kazuki Obashi (National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, USA) for his valuable comments. This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI (20K15892 to Y. K.).

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  1. Department of Cellular Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan

    Yutaro Kashiwagi & Shigeo Okabe

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  1. Yutaro Kashiwagi
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  2. Shigeo Okabe
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Correspondence to Yutaro Kashiwagi.

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Kashiwagi, Y., Okabe, S. Imaging of spine synapses using super-resolution microscopy. Anat Sci Int 96, 343–358 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-021-00603-0

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