title: Characterization of mitochondrial transport in neurons.
abstract: Mitochondria are cellular power plants that supply ATP to power various biological activities essential for neuronal growth, survival, and function. Due to extremely varied morphological features, neurons face exceptional challenges to maintain energy homeostasis. Neurons require specialized mechanisms distributing mitochondria to distal synapses where energy is in high demand. Axons and synapses undergo activity-dependent remodeling, thereby altering mitochondrial distribution. The uniform microtubule polarity has made axons particularly useful for exploring mechanisms regulating mitochondrial transport. Mitochondria alter their motility under stress conditions or when their integrity is impaired. Therefore, research into the mechanisms regulating mitochondrial motility in healthy and diseased neurons is an important emerging frontier in neurobiology. In this chapter, we discuss the current protocols in the characterization of axonal mitochondrial transport in primary neuron cultures isolated from embryonic rats and adult mice. We also briefly discuss new procedures developed in our lab in analyzing mitochondrial motility patterns at presynaptic terminals and evaluate their impact on synaptic vesicle release.
authors.affiliation: Synaptic Function Section, The Porter Neuroscience Research Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Synaptic Function Section, The Porter Neuroscience Research Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Mei-Yao
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Synaptic Function Section, The Porter Neuroscience Research Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Synaptic Function Section, The Porter Neuroscience Research Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Adam L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.affiliation: Synaptic Function Section, The Porter Neuroscience Research Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA. Electronic address: shengz@ninds.nih.gov.
authors.forename: Zu-Hang
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Sheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001370:Axonal Transport; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000502:physiology; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D051379:Mice; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000379:methods*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes
keywords: Adult neuronal cultures; Axonal transport; Embryonic neuronal cultures; Mitochondrial transport; Motile mitochondria; Stationary mitochondria