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Astrocytes close the mouse critical period for visual plasticity
Jérôme Ribot1, Rachel Breton1,2,3, Charles-Félix Calvo1
1Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS UMR 7241, INSERM U1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, Paris, France.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|July 2, 2021
Summary
Astrocytes regulate critical periods in brain development by controlling extracellular matrix maturation, impacting neuronal circuit wiring and preventing neurodevelopmental disorders.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Postnatal brain development involves critical periods of experience-dependent neuronal circuit remodeling.
- Disruptions in these critical periods are linked to neurodevelopmental disorders.
- The cellular mechanisms governing critical-period timing are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of astrocytes in controlling the timing of critical periods in the mouse visual cortex.
- To elucidate the molecular pathways by which astrocytes regulate critical-period closure.
Main Methods:
- Utilized mouse models of visual cortex development.
- Investigated astrocytic signaling pathways, including connexin signaling and RhoA activation.
- Assessed the impact on extracellular matrix components and interneuron maturation.
- Examined the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9).
Main Results:
- Astrocytes were identified as key regulators of critical-period closure in the visual cortex.
- A pathway involving astrocytic connexin signaling, RhoA activation, and MMP9 inhibition was uncovered.
- This pathway mediates astrocytic regulation of the extracellular matrix, facilitating interneuron maturation.
- Astrocytes influence both synaptic activity and the experience-dependent wiring of brain circuits.
Conclusions:
- Astrocytes play a crucial role in the timely closure of critical periods during brain development.
- Astrocytic regulation of the extracellular matrix via unconventional connexin signaling is essential for interneuron maturation.
- These findings highlight astrocytes as critical mediators of experience-dependent neural circuit refinement.
