Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 21, 2025
12:47
Inducing Plasticity of Astrocytic Receptors by Manipulation of Neuronal Firing Rates
Published on: March 20, 2014
14.4K
Activity-dependent modulation of synapse-regulating genes in astrocytes
Isabella Farhy-Tselnicker1, Matthew M Boisvert1, Hanqing Liu2,3
1Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, United States.
Elife
|September 8, 2021
Summary
Neuronal activity regulates astrocyte signals essential for synapse development in the brain. This coordination is crucial for forming mature neural circuits and may offer targets for neurodevelopmental disorders.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Astrocyte Biology
Background:
- Astrocytes play a critical role in regulating neuronal synapse formation and function.
- The developmental control of astrocyte signaling in specific brain regions and at precise times remains poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression patterns of astrocyte synapse-regulating genes during the development of the mouse visual cortex.
- To determine the influence of neuronal activity and astrocyte intracellular calcium signaling on these gene expression profiles and subsequent synaptic maturation.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of astrocyte synapse-regulating gene expression in the developing mouse visual cortex.
- Utilizing mouse models with impaired glutamate release from thalamocortical terminals.
- Employing single-nucleus RNA sequencing to identify gene expression regulatory networks.
- Manipulating astrocyte calcium signaling to assess its impact on gene expression and synaptic development.
Main Results:
- Identified astrocyte signals with differential temporal and layer-enriched expression in the developing visual cortex.
- Demonstrated that visually evoked neuronal activity, specifically glutamate release, is essential for these expression patterns and normal synapse maturation.
- Showed that blunted astrocyte calcium signaling disrupts synapse-regulating gene expression and synaptic development.
- Discovered distinct groups of astrocytic genes regulated by neuronal and astrocyte activity, including layer-specific cassettes.
Conclusions:
- Cortical circuit development necessitates coordinated signaling between astrocytes and neurons.
- Visually evoked neuronal activity is a key regulator of astrocyte synapse-related gene expression during development.
- Astrocyte signaling, modulated by intracellular calcium, is vital for synaptic maturation.
- Astrocytes represent a potential therapeutic target for addressing neurodevelopmental disorders.
