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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 29, 2026

Quantifying Synapses: an Immunocytochemistry-based Assay to Quantify Synapse Number

Quantifying Synapses: an Immunocytochemistry-based Assay to Quantify Synapse Number

Published on: November 16, 2010

Synaptic structure quantification in cultured neurons.

Pamela J Roqué¹, Marina Guizzetti, Lucio G Costa

¹Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.

Current Protocols in Toxicology

|May 29, 2014

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This study presents a new method to assess how toxicants affect synapse development in brain cells. The technique uses advanced imaging to detect changes in synaptic structure, aiding in understanding neurodevelopmental risks.

Keywords:

3-dimensional analysis PSD-95 astrocytes sandwich co-culture synaptogenesis synaptophysin

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Developmental Toxicology

Background:

Developmental exposure to toxicants can lead to behavioral problems, suggesting disruption of synapse formation and function.
Assessing toxicant-induced changes in synaptic structure is crucial for understanding neurodevelopmental toxicity.

Purpose of the Study:

To describe a method for investigating toxicant-induced changes in synaptic structure formation.
To evaluate the role of astrocytes in synapse formation and how toxicants interfere with this process.

Main Methods:

Primary hippocampal neurons and cortical astrocytes were cultured long-term, including co-culture models.
Immunocytochemical labeling of pre-synaptic (synaptophysin) and post-synaptic (PSD-95) markers was performed.
Confocal imaging and three-dimensional object analysis were used to quantify synaptic structure.

Main Results:

The described method allows for the investigation of toxicant effects on synapse formation in neuronal and astrocyte-neuronal co-cultures.
The approach provides insights into the mechanisms by which toxicants impact synaptic development and the roles of different cell types.

Conclusions:

This method offers a valuable tool for studying neurotoxicology and synapse development.
Understanding toxicant-induced alterations in synapse formation is key to addressing associated behavioral problems.