Neuronal homeostasis: does form follow function or vice versa?
Nerve cells adjust their electrical excitability and the overall strength of synaptic connections to maintain their functional identity. A recent study suggests that they may also regulate dendritic branch patterns to compensate for the variability of synaptic contacts and help ensure appropriate connectivity in the brain.
Bucher
Dirk
D
The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL 32080, USA. bucher@whitney.ufl.edu
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology