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Updated: Jan 15, 2026

Visualization of Endoplasmic Reticulum Subdomains in Cultured Cells
Published on: February 18, 2014
The diverse forms and roles of the neuronal endoplasmic reticulum
Lia G Carvalhais1, Koen Kole1, Marijn Kuijpers2
1Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
Neurons are structurally complex and highly compartmentalized, placing unique demands on organelles to adapt locally and support communication across long distances. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) meets this challenge through a dynamic and versatile architecture that spans the entire neuron. While specialized ER structures in axons, dendrites and synapses have been recognized for some time, recent work has uncovered new insights into their local functions and interactions with other membranes. In this Review, we highlight how neuronal ER morphology is established in different subcellular domains, including somato-dendritic regions, axons, and presynaptic and postsynaptic sites. These distinct ER structures enable localized functions in Ca2+ signalling, biosynthesis, excitability, regeneration, synaptic transmission and plasticity. We also discuss how perturbations in the ER contribute to neurodegenerative diseases.
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