Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Structure, development, and plasticity of dendritic spines.

K M Harris1

  • 1Division of Neuroscience in the Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Enders 260, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. harrisk@hub.tch.harvard.edu

Current Opinion in Neurobiology
|July 8, 1999
PubMed
Summary

Dendritic spines exhibit dynamic actin-dependent movements and can form independently of synaptic activation. Their maintenance and loss are regulated by synaptic activity levels, highlighting their plasticity.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Presynaptic Vesicles Supply Membrane for Axonal Bouton Enlargement during Long Term Potentiation.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2026
Same author

Presynaptic vesicles supply membrane for axonal bouton enlargement during LTP.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Reconstitution of immune cell populations in multiple sclerosis patients after autologous stem cell transplantation.

Clinical and experimental immunology·2017
Same author

Radiographer workforce role expansion to improve patient safety related to nasogastric tube placement for feeding in adults.

Clinical radiology·2017
Same author

The interaction between physical activity and obesity gene variants in association with BMI: Does the obesogenic environment matter?

Health & place·2016
Same author

Influence of SNP*SNP interaction on BMI in European American adolescents: findings from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.

Pediatric obesity·2015

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Dendritic spines are crucial postsynaptic structures involved in synaptic plasticity.
  • Spine morphology and composition vary, influencing synaptic function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the dynamic behaviors of dendritic spines.
  • To understand the role of synaptic activation in spine formation, maintenance, and elimination.

Main Methods:

  • Observation of actin-dependent movements within spine heads.
  • Analysis of spine formation following dendritic filopodia dynamics.
  • Investigation of spine stability under varying synaptic activation conditions.

Main Results:

  • Actin-dependent movements are identified within dendritic spine heads.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Spines can arise from stubby and shaft synapses after dendritic filopodia retraction.
  • Spine formation can occur without initial synaptic activation.
  • Optimal synaptic activation maintains spines, while excessive activation or degeneration leads to spine loss.

    • Conclusions:

    • Dendritic spine dynamics are regulated by internal actin-based mechanisms and external synaptic activity.
    • Synaptic activation plays a critical role in the life cycle of dendritic spines, from formation to elimination.