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Updated: Jul 7, 2026
12:19
Imaging Intracellular Ca2+ Signals in Striatal Astrocytes from Adult Mice Using Genetically-encoded Calcium Indicators
Published on: November 19, 2014
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Motor learning and dopamine-dependent striatal synaptic plasticity are controlled by astrocytic MEGF10
Young-Jin Choi1,2, Youngeun Lina Lee3, Yemin Kim3
1Center for Vascular Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
Nature Communications
|February 23, 2026
Summary
Astrocytes use the MEGF10 receptor to eliminate synapses during motor learning, a process influenced by dopamine. This astrocyte-mediated synapse remodeling is crucial for synaptic plasticity and motor skill acquisition in the striatum.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
- Synaptic Plasticity
Background:
- Dopamine is vital for motor learning and synaptic plasticity in medium spiny neurons (MSNs).
- The role of dopamine in glia-mediated synapse remodeling, particularly by astrocytes, is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of astrocytic phagocytic receptors, MEGF10 and MERTK, in synapse elimination during motor learning.
- To elucidate how dopamine influences astrocyte-mediated synapse remodeling in the striatum.
Main Methods:
- Investigated the function of astrocytic MEGF10 and MERTK in synapse elimination using genetic deletion models.
- Utilized chemogenetics to manipulate corticostriatal transmission and dopamine release.
- Examined long-term potentiation (LTP) and depression (LTD) to assess synaptic plasticity.
- Analyzed postsynaptic elimination in MSNs and its dependence on dopamine receptor subtypes.
Main Results:
- Astrocytic MEGF10, not MERTK, is essential for eliminating corticostriatal excitatory synapses during motor learning.
- Deletion of astrocytic MEGF10 impaired LTP/LTD and reduced learning-induced synaptic strength.
- Dopamine release and enhanced corticostriatal activity selectively promoted astrocytic synapse elimination.
- Dopamine and motor learning differentially regulated postsynaptic elimination via MEGF10, affecting synaptic remodeling and quantal properties.
Conclusions:
- Astrocytic MEGF10 is a critical mediator of synapse remodeling in the striatum.
- Dopamine and neural activity regulate astrocytic MEGF10-dependent synapse elimination during motor learning.
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