Dendritic spines are the major transmitter reception compartments of glutamatergic synapses in most principal neurons of the mammalian brain and play a key role in the function of nerve cell circuits. The formation of functional spine synapses is thought to be critically dependent on presynaptic glutamatergic signaling. By analyzing CA1 pyramidal neurons in mutant hippocampal slice cultures that are essentially devoid of presynaptic transmitter release, we demonstrate that the formation and maintenance of dendrites and functional spines are independent of synaptic glutamate release.
You may also like
The fruit fly and its comb-shaped neurons
February 1, 2021Ernst Strüngmann Institute for Neuroscience
Science on film, episode 4: Motivational states of the...
January 29, 2021Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics
A small molecule involved in depression
January 29, 2021Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry
Max Planck Florida and Zeiss Announce Research...
January 13, 2021Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience
New approach reveals structure and function of...
December 16, 2020Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience
Targeting Functionally Characterized Synaptic...
December 15, 2020Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience