Astrocyte reactivity influences the number of presynaptic terminals apposed to spinal motoneurons after axotomy.
Although synaptic plasticity is a widespread phenomenon, the underlying mechanisms leading to its occurrence are virtually unknown. In this sense, glial cells, especially astrocytes, may have a role in network changes of the nervous system, influencing the retraction of boutons as well as providing a proper perisynaptic environment, thereby affecting the replacement of inputs. Interestingly, the glial reaction does vary between strains of rats and mice. In this sense, we present evidence that C57BL/6J and A/J isogenic mice present different astrocyte reactivity after a peripheral lesion in vivo as well as in vitro, by analyzing primary cell cultures. Such a difference in the glial reaction has a direct influence on in vivo number of pre-synaptic terminals and on in vitro synaptogenesis.
Emirandetti
Amanda
A
Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
Graciele Zanon
Renata
R
Sabha
Mario
M
de Oliveira
Alexandre Leite Rodrigues
AL
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D019771:Axotomy / Q000379:methods; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007211:Indoles; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000502:physiology*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016708:Synaptophysin / Q000378:metabolism; D000099149:Ezrin
D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D007211:Indoles; D016708:Synaptophysin; D000099149:Ezrin; C007293:DAPI