Transient c-fos expression and dendritic spine plasticity in hippocampal granule cells

A transient expression of Fos protein occurs in nuclei of partially deafferented dentate granule cells within 1 h of transecting perforant path and fornix inputs. This was followed within 24 h by widening of spine necks, elaboration of the spine apparatus, and appearance of coated vesicles, multivesicular bodies, and ribosomes in remaining spines. This study supports the hypothesis that immediate early genes such as c-fos activate late response genes for generating building blocks of plasticity in partially deafferented neurons of adult rats.