title: Lipid dynamics at dendritic spines.
abstract: Dynamic changes in the structure and composition of the membrane protrusions forming dendritic spines underlie memory and learning processes. In recent years a great effort has been made to characterize in detail the protein machinery that controls spine plasticity. However, we know much less about the involvement of lipids, despite being major membrane components and structure determinants. Moreover, protein complexes that regulate spine plasticity depend on specific interactions with membrane lipids for proper function and accurate intracellular signaling. In this review we gather information available on the lipid composition at dendritic spine membranes and on its dynamics. We pay particular attention to the influence that spine lipid dynamism has on glutamate receptors, which are key regulators of synaptic plasticity.
authors.affiliation: Centro Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC-UAM Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos Gerardo
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Dotti
authors.affiliation: Centro Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC-UAM Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Jose Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Esteban
authors.affiliation: Centro Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC-UAM Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: María Dolores
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Ledesma
keywords: cholesterol; dendritic spines; glutamate receptors; phosphoinositides; sphingolipids; synaptic plasticity