Astroglial processes show spontaneous motility at active synaptic terminals in situ
2004 | journal article. A publication with affiliation to the University of Göttingen.
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- Authors
- Hirrlinger, Johannes; Hulsmann, Swen ; Kirchhoff, Frank
- Abstract
- Within the tripartite structure of vertebrate synapses, enwrapping astroglial processes regulate synaptic transmission by transmitter uptake and by direct transmitter release. We applied confocal and two-photon laser scanning microscopy to acutely isolated slices prepared from the brainstem of transgenic TgN(GFAP-EGFP) mice. In transversal sections fluorescently labelled astrocytes are evenly distributed throughout the tissue. Astroglial processes contacted neuronal somata and enwrapped active synaptic terminals as visualized using FM1-43 staining in situ. Here, at these synaptic regions astroglial process endings displayed a high degree of dynamic morphological changes. Two defined modes of spontaneous motility could be distinguished: (i) gliding of thin lamellipodia-like membrane protrusions along neuronal surfaces and (ii) transient extensions of filopodia-like processes into the neuronal environment. Our observations highlight the active role of astrocytes in direct modulation of synaptic transmission.
- Issue Date
- 2004
- Status
- published
- Publisher
- Blackwell Publishing Ltd
- Journal
- European Journal of Neuroscience
- ISSN
- 0953-816X