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Voltage-sensitive Dye Recording from Axons, Dendrites and Dendritic Spines of Individual Neurons in Brain Slices
Published on: November 29, 2012
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Voltage compartmentalization in dendritic spines in vivo
Victor Hugo Cornejo1, Netanel Ofer1, Rafael Yuste1
1Neurotechnology Center, Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|November 11, 2021
Summary
Dendritic spines, crucial for brain function, act as independent electrical compartments. This voltage compartmentalization in spines influences synaptic plasticity and brain activity.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Dendritic spines are key sites of excitatory neurotransmission.
- Their role in electrical signaling beyond biochemical compartmentalization is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the electrical properties of dendritic spines.
- To determine if spines function as independent electrical compartments.
Main Methods:
- Two-photon microscopy was used to measure membrane potentials in spines and dendrites of mouse pyramidal neurons.
- Genetically encoded voltage indicators were employed.
- Spontaneous and sensory-evoked activity, as well as optogenetic stimulation, were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Spines and dendrites depolarized together during action potentials.
- During subthreshold potentials, spine voltages often differed from parent dendrites, showing independent activation.
- Individual spine head optogenetic activation maintained voltage compartmentalization.
Conclusions:
- Dendritic spines function as elementary voltage compartments.
- Voltage compartmentalization in spines may be vital for synaptic function, plasticity, dendritic integration, and neurological diseases.
