Molecular mechanisms of dendritic spine morphogenesis
Abstract
Excitatory synapses are formed on dendritic spines, postsynaptic structures that change during development and in response to synaptic activity. Once mature, however, spines can remain stable for many months. The molecular mechanisms that control the formation and elimination, motility and stability, and size and shape of dendritic spines are being revealed. Multiple signaling pathways, particularly those involving Rho and Ras family small GTPases, converge on the actin cytoskeleton to regulate spine morphology and dynamics bidirectionally. Numerous cell surface receptors, scaffold proteins and actin binding proteins are concentrated in spines and engaged in spine morphogenesis.
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Spines with large heads express higher levels of AMPA receptors and establish stronger synaptic connections.
“Spines with large heads express higher levels of AMPA receptors and establish stronger synaptic connections (Tada and Sheng, 2006).”
From The E3 ubiquitin ligase IDOL regulates synaptic ApoER2 levels and is important for plasticity and learning (2017) · cites this paper as Tada and Sheng, 2006
Both Ca2+ and Ras can regulate synaptic development and plasticity.
“Both Ca 2 þ and Ras can regulate synaptic development and plasticity (Tada and Sheng, 2006;Alvarez and Sabatini, 2007;Harvey et al, 2008).”
From Ral mediates activity‐dependent growth of postsynaptic membranes via recruitment of the exocyst (2013) · cites this paper as Tada and Sheng, 2006
Rearrangements of the actin cytoskeleton strongly influence the formation, retraction, motility, stability, and shape of dendritic spines.
“Rearrangements of the actin cytoskeleton strongly influence the formation, retraction, motility, stability, and shape of the dendritic spines (Tada and Sheng, 2006), and genetic ablation of WRC components affects spine morphology and excitability (Grove et al., 2004, Kim et al., 2006, Soderling et al., 2007, Wiens et al., 2005).”
From CYFIP1 Coordinates mRNA Translation and Cytoskeleton Remodeling to Ensure Proper Dendritic Spine Formation (2013) · cites this paper as Tada and Sheng, 2006
Small GTPases play a critical role in neuronal trafficking and spine morphogenesis.
“small GTPases play a critical role in neuronal trafficking and spine morphogenesis [23], [24], [25], [26].”
From Arf4 Determines Dentate Gyrus-Mediated Pattern Separation by Regulating Dendritic Spine Development (2012) · cites this paper as [23]
Spine number and structural plasticity are tightly correlated with synaptic function in the mammalian brain.
“Spine number and structural plasticity are tightly correlated with synaptic function in the mammalian brain [23], [51].”
From Arf4 Determines Dentate Gyrus-Mediated Pattern Separation by Regulating Dendritic Spine Development (2012) · cites this paper as [23]
Mushroom spines have larger postsynaptic densities (PSDs) and more glutamate receptors than thin spines, making the synapse functionally stronger and more stable.
“Mushroom spines have larger postsynaptic densities (PSDs) and more glutamate receptors than thin spines, making the synapse functionally stronger and more stable [14], [23].”
From Arf4 Determines Dentate Gyrus-Mediated Pattern Separation by Regulating Dendritic Spine Development (2012) · cites this paper as [23]
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- Authors
- Tada, T., & Sheng, M.
- Affiliations
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US)
- Corresponding author
- Sheng, Morgan
- ORCID
- Sheng, Morgan
- Venue
- Current Opinion in Neurobiology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2006-02
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 95-101
- ISSN
- 0959-4388 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2059890547
- Cited by
- 615
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 25 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 23 · 2017: 24 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 35 · 2014: 49 · 2013: 47 · 2012: 43
- FWCI
- 3.25
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Current Opinion in Neurobiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NS35053)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Protein Kinase Regulation and GTPase Signaling
- Keywords
- dendritic spine morphogenesis, excitatory synapses, Rho GTPases, Ras GTPase, actin cytoskeleton, synaptic plasticity, spine motility, scaffold proteins, actin-binding proteins
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Dendrites, Models, Neurological, Morphogenesis, Neuronal Plasticity, Nuclear Matrix-Associated Proteins
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