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Updated: Oct 21, 2025
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Analyzing Mitochondrial Transport and Morphology in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neurons in Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia
Published on: February 9, 2020
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Activity-dependent regulation of mitochondrial motility in developing cortical dendrites.
Catia Ap Silva1, Annik Yalnizyan-Carson2, M Victoria Fernández Busch1
1Department of Synapse and Network Development, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Elife
|September 7, 2021
Summary
Mitochondrial motility in developing neurons decreases with increased neuronal activity. Synaptic transmission, not global calcium, triggers local mitochondrial arrest, suggesting a co-released factor is involved.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Developing neurons form synapses rapidly, requiring significant energy.
- Mitochondria supply ATP and may be localized to active synapses.
- Mechanisms regulating mitochondrial motility during neuronal development are poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between mitochondrial motility and neuronal activity in the developing brain.
- To determine if synaptic transmission regulates mitochondrial movement in young neurons.
Main Methods:
- In vivo and in vitro studies in young mice primary visual cortex.
- Monitoring mitochondrial motility alongside neuronal activity.
- Pharmacological manipulation of synaptic transmission and glutamate receptors.
- Computational modeling of synaptic transmission effects.
Main Results:
- Mitochondrial motility decreases as neuronal activity and synapse formation increase during early postnatal development.
- Mitochondrial movement is not affected by global calcium transients.
- Individual synaptic transmission events, but not glutamate alone, cause local mitochondrial arrest.
- A factor co-released with synaptic vesicles appears necessary for mitochondrial arrest.
Conclusions:
- Synaptic transmission, influenced by developmental increases in synapse number and activity, regulates mitochondrial motility.
- An unidentified factor released during synaptic activity is crucial for arresting mitochondria at active synapses.
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