Neuronal activity regulates diffusion across the neck of dendritic spines
Abstract
In mammalian excitatory neurons, dendritic spines are separated from dendrites by thin necks. Diffusion across the neck limits the chemical and electrical isolation of each spine. We found that spine/dendrite diffusional coupling is heterogeneous and uncovered a class of diffusionally isolated spines. The barrier to diffusion posed by the neck and the number of diffusionally isolated spines is bidirectionally regulated by neuronal activity. Furthermore, coincident synaptic activation and postsynaptic action potentials rapidly restrict diffusion across the neck. The regulation of diffusional coupling provides a possible mechanism for determining the amplitude of postsynaptic potentials and the accumulation of plasticity-inducing molecules within the spine head.
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In a small population of spines, no exchange of soluble fluorescent proteins between shaft and spine heads could be measured during a period of several minutes.
“In a small population of spines, no exchange of soluble fluorescent proteins between shaft and spine heads could be measured during a period of several minutes (Bloodgood and Sabatini, 2005).”
From Barriers in the brain: resolving dendritic spine morphology and compartmentalization (2014) · cites this paper as Bloodgood and Sabatini, 2005
The geometry of the spine neck determines the rate of calcium efflux into the dendrite shaft and hence the degree of elevation of calcium concentrations within the spine head, following NMDAR activation.
“The geometry of the spine neck determines the rate of calcium efflux into the dendrite shaft and hence the degree of elevation of calcium concentrations within the spine head, following n-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) activation (Bloodgood and Sabatini, 2005; Alvarez and Sabatini, 2007; Sheng and Hoogenraad, 2007).”
From Human Brain/Cloud Interface (2019) · cites this paper as Bloodgood and Sabatini, 2005
In animal models, changes in the neck length of dendritic spines affect the temporal compartmentalization of calcium and other second messengers, changes that may affect the induction of long-term potentiation.
“In animal models, changes in the neck length of dendritic spines affects the temporal compartmentalization of calcium and other second messengers, changes that may affect the induction of long-term potentiation (Yuste, 2010; Bloodgood and Sabatini, 2005).”
From The influence of phospho-tau on dendritic spines of cortical pyramidal neurons in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (2013) · cites this paper as Bloodgood and Sabatini, 2005
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References 27 · Cited by 344
- Authors
- Bloodgood, B. L., & Sabatini, B. L.
- Affiliations
- Harvard University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Sabatini, Bernardo L.
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 2005-11-04
- Volume
- 310
- Issue
- 5749
- Pages
- 866-869
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W2018554421
- Cited by
- 344
- References
- 27
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 23 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 17
- FWCI
- 8.55
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Keywords
- dendritic spines, diffusion, neuronal activity, synaptic plasticity, postsynaptic potentials, excitatory neurons, synaptic activation
- MeSH terms
- Action Potentials, Animals, Cytoplasm, Dendrites, Diffusion, Fluorescence, Hippocampus, Synaptic Transmission, Neurons, Organ Culture Techniques, Receptors, GABA-A, Synapses, Transfection, Viscosity, Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Pyramidal Cells, Receptors, AMPA, Patch-Clamp Techniques, Glutamic Acid, Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials, Dendritic Spines, Green Fluorescent Proteins, Rats, GABA-A Receptor Antagonists
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