title: Presynaptic structure of Aplysia single live neuron by atomic force and confocal laser scanning microscope.
abstract: The structural and functional plasticity of Aplysia mechanosensory presynaptic neurons has been studied in relation with the mechanism underlying learning and memory. Long-term facilitation (LTF), which is a well-known cellular model for long-term memory in Aplysia, is accompanied by new synaptic structural growth or change. We developed a combined atomic force microscope and confocal laser scanning microscope (AFM-CLSM) system integrated with a MATLAB routine for image processing to concurrently obtain high-resolution 3-dimensional (3D) outer-surface morphological images and 3D interior fluorescence images. With our combined AFM-CLSM system, volumetric changes in the presynaptic structures (varicosities) of Aplysia live sensory-motor neuron cocultures were observed. The spatial distribution of synaptic vesicle molecules in the preexisting varicosities was monitored together with a volumetric change in the varicosities. Our combined AFM-CLSM system is successfully adapted for measuring learning-related structural changes and the movement of synaptic molecules in the single live neuron through interaction force and fluorescence imaging.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Electronics and NanoStructures Laboratory, School of Chemistry, NS60, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-747, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Aee-Young
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Yeon-Su
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chae
authors.forename: Seung-Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Bong-Kiun
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Kaang
authors.forename: Seonghoon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001048:Aplysia / Q000502:physiology*; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005724:Ganglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D012701:Serotonin; D004247:DNA