美国哥伦比亚大学Rafael Yuste研究组发现体内树突棘的电压区室化。2021年11月11日出版的《科学》发表了这项成果。

他们使用双光子显微镜和基因编码的电压指示器，在自发活动和感觉刺激期间测量了小鼠体感皮层锥体神经元的棘和树突中的膜电位。在动作电位期间，棘和树突一起去极化，但是，在阈下电位和静息电位期间，棘经常经历与母体树突不同的电压，甚至独立激活。在单个棘头部的双光子光遗传学激活后，棘电压保持区分开来。

他们得出结论，棘是基本的电压隔室。电压区室化的调节对于突触功能和可塑性、树突整合和疾病状态可能很重要。

据悉，树突棘在神经系统中介导大多数兴奋性神经传递，因此它们的功能对大脑至关重要。 棘是生化区室，但也可以通过电改变突触电位。

附：英文原文

Title: Voltage compartmentalization in dendritic spines in vivo

Author: Victor Hugo Cornejo, Netanel Ofer, Rafael Yuste

Issue&Volume: 2021-11-11

Abstract: Dendritic spines mediate most excitatory neurotransmission in the nervous system, so their function must be critical for the brain. Spines are biochemical compartments, but could also electrically modify synaptic potentials. Using two-photon microscopy and a genetically-encoded voltage indicator, we measured membrane potentials in spines and dendrites from pyramidal neurons in somatosensory cortex of mice during spontaneous activity and sensory stimulation. Spines and dendrites were depolarized together during action potentials, but, during subthreshold and resting potentials, spines often experienced different voltages than parent dendrites, even activating independently. Spine voltages remained compartmentalized after two-photon optogenetic activation of individual spine heads. We conclude that spines are elementary voltage compartments. The regulation of voltage compartmentalization could be important for synaptic function and plasticity, dendritic integration, and disease states.

DOI: abg0501

Source: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abg0501