title: mGluR5 knockout mice display increased dendritic spine densities.
abstract: Alterations in dendritic spine densities and morphologies have been correlated with the abnormal functioning of the synapse. Specifically the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) has been implicated in dendrogenesis and spineogenesis, since its activation triggers various signaling cascades that have been demonstrated to play roles in synaptic maturation and plasticity. Here we used the Golgi impregnation technique to analyze the dendritic spines of mGluR5(-/-) knockout mice in comparison to their heterozygote mGluR5(+/-) littermates. mGluR5(-/-) mice had elevated spine densities irrespective of spine type or location along their dendritic trees in comparison to mGluR5(+/-) animals. Such anatomical changes may underlie the hyperexcitability observed in mGluR5 total knockout mice.
authors: Neuropsychology Subprogram, The Graduate Center, CUNY, 365th 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA.
authors: Chia-Chien
authors: CC
authors: Chen
authors: Hui-Chen
authors: HC
authors: Lu
authors: Joshua C
authors: JC
authors: Brumberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D049229:Dendritic Spines / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006579:Heterozygote; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure; D064529:Receptor, Metabotropic Glutamate 5; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: C578936:Grm5 protein, mouse; D064529:Receptor, Metabotropic Glutamate 5; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate