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Astrocytes exhibit diverse Ca2+ changes at subcellular domains during brain aging
Fusheng Ding1,2,3, Shanshan Liang3, Ruijie Li3,4
1Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
|November 17, 2022
Summary
Brain aging alters astrocyte calcium signaling differently across subcellular domains. Calcium transients increase in branches but decrease in endfeet, impacting neural circuit function.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cellular Biology
- Aging Research
Background:
- Astrocytic calcium (Ca2+) transients are crucial for neural circuit integration.
- Previous research indicates aging impairs astrocyte function.
- The specific impact of aging on astrocytic Ca2+ transients in subcellular domains remains largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how brain aging affects Ca2+ transients in distinct astrocytic subcellular domains.
- To elucidate the heterogeneity of aging effects on astrocyte Ca2+ signaling.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a genetically encoded Ca2+ sensor (GCaMP6f).
- Employed in vivo two-photon Ca2+ imaging in aged brains.
- Analyzed Ca2+ transients in primary branches, branchlets, leaflets, and endfeet of astrocytes.
Main Results:
- Aging increased Ca2+ transients in astrocytic primary branches, branchlets, and leaflets.
- Ca2+ transients decreased in astrocytic endfeet, potentially due to reduced Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) expression.
- Aging-induced changes in Ca2+ transient types showed heterogeneity across subcellular domains.
Conclusions:
- Astrocytic Ca2+ transients are differentially affected by brain aging across subcellular locations.
- These domain-specific changes in astrocyte signaling may contribute to aging-related neural circuit degeneration.
