Radially expanding transglial calcium waves in the intact cerebellum.
Multicellular glial calcium waves may locally regulate neural activity or brain energetics. Here, we report a diffusion-driven astrocytic signal in the normal, intact brain that spans many astrocytic processes in a confined volume without fully encompassing any one cell. By using 2-photon microscopy in rodent cerebellar cortex labeled with fluorescent indicator dyes or the calcium-sensor protein G-CaMP2, we discovered spontaneous calcium waves that filled approximately ellipsoidal domains of Bergmann glia processes. Waves spread in 3 dimensions at a speed of 4-11 microm/s to a diameter of approximately 50 microm, slowed during expansion, and were reversibly blocked by P2 receptor antagonists. Consistent with the hypothesis that ATP acts as a diffusible trigger of calcium release waves, local ejection of ATP triggered P2 receptor-mediated waves that were refractory to repeated activation. Transglial waves represent a means for purinergic signals to act with local specificity to modulate activity or energetics in local neural circuits.
Hoogland
Tycho M
TM
Department of Molecular Biology and Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Lewis Thomas Laboratory, Washington Road, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA. hoogland@princeton.edu
Kuhn
Bernd
B
Göbel
Werner
W
Huang
Wenying
W
Nakai
Junichi
J
Helmchen
Fritjof
F
Flint
Jane
J
Wang
Samuel S-H
SS
D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D058919:Purinergic P2 Receptor Antagonists; D051381:Rats; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2 / Q000378:metabolism
D058919:Purinergic P2 Receptor Antagonists; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D002118:Calcium