In vivo imaging of synapse formation on a growing dendritic arbor
In vivo imaging of synapse formation on a growing dendritic arbor
复制标题
DOI：
10.1038/nn1191
复制
发表时间：
2004-03-01
影响因子：
25
通讯作者：
Smith, SJ
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Niell, CM;Meyer, MP;Smith, SJ
The form of a neuron's dendritic arbor determines the set of axons with which it may form synaptic contacts, thus establishing connectivity within neural circuits. However, the dynamic relationship between dendrite growth and synaptogenesis is not well understood. To observe both processes simultaneously, we performed long-term imaging of non-spiny dendritic arbors expressing a fluorescent postsynaptic marker protein as they arborized within the optic tectum of live zebrafish larvae. Our results indicate that almost all synapses form initially on newly extended dendritic filopodia. A fraction of these nascent synapses are maintained, which in turn stabilizes the subset of filopodia on which they form. Stabilized filopodia mature into dendritic branches, and successive iterations of this process result in growth and branching of the arbor. These findings support a `synaptotropic model' in which synapse formation can direct dendrite arborization.
