scholarly journals Dendritic spines on GABAergic neurons respond to cholinergic signaling in theCaenorhabditis elegansmotor circuit

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Cuentas-Condori ◽  
Ben Mulcahy ◽  
Siwei He ◽  
Sierra Palumbos ◽  
Mei Zhen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Actin Cytoskeleton ◽  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Dendritic Spines ◽  
Live Cell Imaging ◽  
Cell Imaging ◽  
Live Cell ◽  
Spine Density ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Cholinergic Signaling ◽  
Spine Morphogenesis

SUMMARYDendritic spines are specialized postsynaptic structures that detect and integrate presynaptic signals. The shape and number of dendritic spines are regulated by neural activity and correlated with learning and memory. Most studies of spine function have focused on the mammalian nervous system. However, spine-like protrusions have been previously reported in invertebrates, suggesting that the experimental advantages of smaller model organisms could be exploited to study the biology of dendritic spines. Here, we document the presence of dendritic spines inCaenorhabditis elegansmotor neurons. We used super-resolution microscopy, electron microscopy, live-cell imaging and genetic manipulation to show that GABAergic motor neurons display functional dendritic spines. Our analysis revealed salient features of dendritic spines: (1) A key role for the actin cytoskeleton in spine morphogenesis; (2) Postsynaptic receptor complexes at the tips of spines in close proximity to presynaptic active zones; (3) Localized postsynaptic calcium transients evoked by presynaptic activity; (4) The presence of endoplasmic reticulum and ribosomes; (5) The regulation of spine density by presynaptic activity. These studies provide a solid foundation for a new experimental paradigm that exploits the power ofC. elegansgenetics and live-cell imaging for fundamental studies of dendritic spine morphogenesis and function.HIGHLIGHTS-Spines inC. elegansGABAergic motor neurons are enriched in actin cytoskeleton.-Spines are dynamic structures.-Spines display Ca++transients coupled with presynaptic activation.-Spine density is regulated during development and is modulated by actin dynamics and cholinergic signaling.

scholarly journals C. elegans neurons have functional dendritic spines

eLife ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Cuentas-Condori ◽  
Ben Mulcahy ◽  
Siwei He ◽  
Sierra Palumbos ◽  
Mei Zhen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Dendritic Spines ◽  
Live Cell Imaging ◽  
Cell Imaging ◽  
Super Resolution ◽  
Live Cell ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Spine Density ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Spine Function

Dendritic spines are specialized postsynaptic structures that transduce presynaptic signals, are regulated by neural activity and correlated with learning and memory. Most studies of spine function have focused on the mammalian nervous system. However, spine-like protrusions have been reported in C. elegans (Philbrook et al., 2018), suggesting that the experimental advantages of smaller model organisms could be exploited to study the biology of dendritic spines. Here, we used super-resolution microscopy, electron microscopy, live-cell imaging and genetics to show that C. elegans motor neurons have functional dendritic spines that: (1) are structurally defined by a dynamic actin cytoskeleton; (2) appose presynaptic dense projections; (3) localize ER and ribosomes; (4) display calcium transients triggered by presynaptic activity and propagated by internal Ca++ stores; (5) respond to activity-dependent signals that regulate spine density. These studies provide a solid foundation for a new experimental paradigm that exploits the power of C. elegans genetics and live-cell imaging for fundamental studies of dendritic spine morphogenesis and function.

Activity-dependent release of tissue plasminogen activator from the dendritic spines of hippocampal neurons revealed by live-cell imaging

2006 ◽  
Vol 66 (6) ◽  
pp. 564-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janis E. Lochner ◽  
Leah S. Honigman ◽  
Wilmon F. Grant ◽  
Sarah K. Gessford ◽  
Alexis B. Hansen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasminogen Activator ◽  
Tissue Plasminogen Activator ◽  
Dendritic Spines ◽  
Hippocampal Neurons ◽  
Live Cell Imaging ◽  
Cell Imaging ◽  
Live Cell ◽  
Tissue Plasminogen ◽  
Activity Dependent

scholarly journals Rapid Morphological and Cytoskeletal Response to Microgravity in Human Primary Macrophages

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (10) ◽  
pp. 2402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cora Sandra Thiel ◽  
Svantje Tauber ◽  
Beatrice Lauber ◽  
Jennifer Polzer ◽  
Christian Seebacher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Actin Cytoskeleton ◽  
Live Cell Imaging ◽  
Cell Imaging ◽  
Live Imaging ◽  
Live Cell ◽  
Cellular Structures ◽  
Microgravity Environment ◽  
Confocal Laser ◽  
Human Macrophages ◽  
Imaging Experiment

The FLUMIAS (Fluorescence-Microscopic Analyses System for Life-Cell-Imaging in Space) confocal laser spinning disk fluorescence microscope represents a new imaging capability for live cell imaging experiments on suborbital ballistic rocket missions. During the second pioneer mission of this microscope system on the TEXUS-54 suborbital rocket flight, we developed and performed a live imaging experiment with primary human macrophages. We simultaneously imaged four different cellular structures (nucleus, cytoplasm, lysosomes, actin cytoskeleton) by using four different live cell dyes (Nuclear Violet, Calcein, LysoBrite, SiR-actin) and laser wavelengths (405, 488, 561, and 642 nm), and investigated the cellular morphology in microgravity (10−4 to 10−5 g) over a period of about six minutes compared to 1 g controls. For live imaging of the cytoskeleton during spaceflight, we combined confocal laser microscopy with the SiR-actin probe, a fluorogenic silicon-rhodamine (SiR) conjugated jasplakinolide probe that binds to F-actin and displays minimal toxicity. We determined changes in 3D cell volume and surface, nuclear volume and in the actin cytoskeleton, which responded rapidly to the microgravity environment with a significant reduction of SiR-actin fluorescence after 4–19 s microgravity, and adapted subsequently until 126–151 s microgravity. We conclude that microgravity induces geometric cellular changes and rapid response and adaptation of the potential gravity-transducing cytoskeleton in primary human macrophages.

scholarly journals Live cell imaging reveals actin-cytoskeleton-induced self-association of the actin-bundling protein WLIM1

2014 ◽  
Vol 127 (6) ◽  
pp. 1357-1357
Author(s):  
C. Hoffmann ◽  
D. Moes ◽  
M. Dieterle ◽  
K. Neumann ◽  
F. Moreau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Actin Cytoskeleton ◽  
Live Cell Imaging ◽  
Cell Imaging ◽  
Live Cell ◽  
Self Association

scholarly journals cAMP controls a trafficking mechanism that directs the neuron specificity and subcellular placement of electrical synapses

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sierra Palumbos ◽  
Rachel Skelton ◽  
Rebecca McWhirter ◽  
Amanda Mitchell ◽  
Isaiah Swann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Gap Junction ◽  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Live Cell Imaging ◽  
Cell Imaging ◽  
Electrical Synapse ◽  
Transcriptional Program ◽  
Electrical Synapses ◽  
C Elegans

Electrical synapses are established between specific neurons and within distinct subcellular compartments, but the mechanisms that direct gap junction assembly in the nervous system are largely unknown. Here we show that a transcriptional program tunes cAMP signaling to direct the neuron-specific assembly and placement of electrical synapses in the C. elegans motor circuit. For these studies, we use live cell imaging to visualize electrical synapses in vivo and a novel optogenetic assay to confirm that they are functional. In VA motor neurons, the UNC-4 transcription factor blocks expression of cAMP antagonists that promote gap junction miswiring. In unc-4 mutants, VA electrical synapses are established with an alternative synaptic partner and are repositioned from the VA axon to soma. We show that cAMP counters these effects by driving gap junction trafficking into the VA axon for electrical synapse assembly. Thus, our experiments in an intact nervous system establish that cAMP regulates gap junction trafficking for the biogenesis of electrical synapses.

scholarly journals Live cell imaging reveals actin-cytoskeleton-induced self-association of the actin-bundling protein WLIM1

2013 ◽  
Vol 127 (3) ◽  
pp. 583-598 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Hoffmann ◽  
D. Moes ◽  
M. Dieterle ◽  
K. Neumann ◽  
F. Moreau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Actin Cytoskeleton ◽  
Live Cell Imaging ◽  
Cell Imaging ◽  
Live Cell ◽  
Self Association

scholarly journals Live cell tracking of symmetry break in actin cytoskeleton triggered by abrupt changes in micromechanical environments

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (12) ◽  
pp. 1539-1544 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Inoue ◽  
V. Frank ◽  
M. Hörning ◽  
S. Kaufmann ◽  
H. Y. Yoshikawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Symmetry Breaking ◽  
Actin Cytoskeleton ◽  
Live Cell Imaging ◽  
Cell Tracking ◽  
Cell Imaging ◽  
Live Cell ◽  
Abrupt Changes ◽  
Stimulus Responsive ◽  
Responsive Hydrogels ◽  
Symmetry Break

Stimulus responsive hydrogels and live cell imaging allow for the quantitative parameterization of symmetry breaking in remodelling actin cytoskeleton.

scholarly journals Live-cell imaging of dendritic spines by STED microscopy

2008 ◽  
Vol 105 (48) ◽  
pp. 18982-18987 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. V. Nagerl ◽  
K. I. Willig ◽  
B. Hein ◽  
S. W. Hell ◽  
T. Bonhoeffer
Keyword(s):  
Dendritic Spines ◽  
Live Cell Imaging ◽  
Cell Imaging ◽  
Live Cell ◽  
Sted Microscopy

A quinoline-based probe for effective and selective sensing of aspartic acid in aqueous medium: in vitro and in vivo live cell imaging

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (11) ◽  
pp. 3237-3244 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Elamathi ◽  
R. J. Butcher ◽  
A. Mohankumar ◽  
P. Sundararaj ◽  
A. Madankumar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aqueous Solution ◽  
Aspartic Acid ◽  
Live Cell Imaging ◽  
Cell Imaging ◽  
Live Cell ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Mcf 7

A highly sensitive and selective “on–off–on” chemosensor for aspartic acid in aqueous solution was established. In vitro live cell imaging against MCF 7 cells and in vivo imaging using C. elegans were successfully demonstrated.

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