title: Efficient three-dimensional reconstruction of synapse with high-voltage electron microscopy.
abstract: Three-dimensional (3-D) information on nervous tissue is essential for the understanding of brain function. Especially, 3-D synaptic analyses on serial ultrathin sections with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) have contributed to the knowledge on neural plasticity associated with various pathophysiological conditions. The 3-D reconstruction procedures, however, not only require a great amount of expertise but also include time-consuming processes. Here, we carried out computer-assisted 3-D reconstruction of parallel fibre-Purkinje cell synapses based on 250 nm serial sections using high-voltage electron microscopy (HVEM). The 3-D synapse models were constructed more efficiently and rapidly compared with conventional serial TEM reconstruction. This result suggests that 3-D reconstruction with thicker sections and HVEM is a useful method to study synaptic connectivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Division of Brain Korea 21 Project for Biomedical Science and Electron Microscope Facility, Korea University College of Medicine, 126-1 Anam-Dong 5-Ga, Sungbuk-Ku, Seoul 136-705, Korea.
authors.forename: Kea Joo
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chang-Hyun
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Im Joo
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Rhyu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000379:methods; D008954:Models, Biological; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013569:Synapses / Q000648:ultrastructure*