title: Mitochondrial Ca2+ signalling in hippocampal neurons.
abstract: High-resolution fluorescent imaging of mitochondrial-targeted probes was used to examine the ability of mitochondria to decode complex spatial and temporal Ca2+ signals evoked in synaptically active networks of hippocampal neurons. Green-to-red photoconversion of the mitochondrial-targeted probe, mito-Kaede, demonstrated that mitochondria were present as discrete organelles 2-6 microm in length. Real-time imaging of mitochondrial-targeted ratiometric pericam (2 mtRP) visualised rapid, repetitive, transient mitochondrial Ca2+ fluxes in response to periods of synaptic activation. Mitochondrial Ca2+ fluxes within cellular compartments were dependent on the extent of synaptic recruitment, but independent of cross-talk with the endoplasmic reticulum or the presence of an interconnected mitochondrial network. Mitochondria in dendritic regions demonstrated a greater sensitivity to synaptic activation compared with somatic mitochondria. Temporal decoding of synaptic signals was rate-limited by the activity of the mitochondrial Na+/Ca2+ exchanger. Spatial regulation of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake was determined by the magnitude of the cytosolic Ca2+ rise in each cellular compartment.
authors.affiliation: MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Leicester, Hodgkin Building, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK.
authors.forename: Kenneth W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Edward T W
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Bampton
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pinòn
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bano
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nicotera
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors