Role of cholesterol in synapse formation and function
Open accessAbstract
Cholesterol is a multifaceted molecule, which serves as essential membrane component, as cofactor for signaling molecules and as precursor for steroid hormones. Consequently, defects in cholesterol metabolism cause devastating diseases. So far, the role of cholesterol in the nervous system is less well understood. Recent studies showed that cultured neurons from the mammalian central nervous system (CNS) require glia-derived cholesterol to form numerous and efficient synapses. This suggests that the availability of cholesterol in neurons limits the extent of synaptogenesis. Here, I will summarize the experimental evidence for this hypothesis, describe what is known about the structural and functional role of cholesterol at synapses, and discuss how cholesterol may influence synapse development and stability.
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The neuronal synapse is a cholesterol-rich organelle.
“The neuronal synapse is a cholesterol-rich organelle (Pfrieger, 2003)”
From Impact of Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) Polymorphism on Brain ApoE Levels (2008) · cites this paper as Pfrieger, 2003
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- Authors
- Pfrieger, F. W.
- Affiliations
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Corresponding author
- Pfrieger, Frank W
- ORCID
- Pfrieger, Frank W
- Venue
- Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Biomembranes
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2003-03
- Volume
- 1610
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 271-280
- ISSN
- 0005-2736 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2044654185
- Cited by
- 325
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 1.67
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Biomembranes (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
- Max-Planck-Gesellschaft
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Cholesterol and Lipid Metabolism
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Lipid Membrane Structure and Behavior
- Keywords
- cholesterol, synaptogenesis, synapse stability, neurons, cholesterol metabolism, nervous system, membrane lipids, central nervous system
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Cholesterol, Humans, Nerve Degeneration, Neuroglia, Synapses, Synaptic Membranes, Synaptic Vesicles, Presynaptic Terminals, Membrane Microdomains
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