Regulation of the postsynaptic cytoskeleton: roles in development, plasticity, and disorders.
The small size of dendritic spines belies the elaborate role they play in excitatory synaptic transmission and ultimately complex behaviors. The cytoskeletal architecture of the spine is predominately composed of actin filaments. These filaments, which at first glance might appear simple, are also surprisingly complex. They dynamically assemble into different structures and serve as a platform for orchestrating the elaborate responses of the spine during experience-dependent plasticity. This mini-symposium review will feature ongoing research into how spines are regulated by actin-signaling pathways during development and plasticity. It will also highlight evolving studies into how disruptions to these pathways might be functionally coupled to congenital disorders such as mental retardation.
Department of Biology, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.
Tatyana
T
Svitkina
Wan-Hsin
WH
Lin
Donna J
DJ
Webb
Ryohei
R
Yasuda
Gary A
GA
Wayman
Linda
L
Van Aelst
Scott H
SH
Soderling
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism*; D049229:Dendritic Spines / Q000378:metabolism*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology
D000199:Actins