title: Changes in the Golgi Apparatus of Neocortical and Hippocampal Neurons in the Hibernating Hamster.
abstract: Hibernating animals have been used as models to study several aspects of the plastic changes that occur in the metabolism and physiology of neurons. These models are also of interest in the study of Alzheimer's disease because the microtubule-associated protein tau is hyperphosphorylated during the hibernation state known as torpor, similar to the pretangle stage of Alzheimer's disease. Hibernating animals undergo torpor periods with drops in body temperature and metabolic rate, and a virtual cessation of neural activity. These processes are accompanied by morphological and neurochemical changes in neurons, which reverse a few hours after coming out of the torpor state. Since tau has been implicated in the structural regulation of the neuronal Golgi apparatus (GA) we have used Western Blot and immunocytochemistry to analyze whether the GA is modified in cortical neurons of the Syrian hamster at different hibernation stages. The results show that, during the hibernation cycle, the GA undergo important structural changes along with differential modifications in expression levels and distribution patterns of Golgi structural proteins. These changes were accompanied by significant transitory reductions in the volume and surface area of the GA elements during torpor and arousal stages as compared with euthermic animals.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurobiología Funcional y de Sistemas, Instituto Cajal, CSIC Madrid, Spain ; Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antón-Fernández
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurobiología Funcional y de Sistemas, Instituto Cajal, CSIC Madrid, Spain ; Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid Madrid, Spain ; Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad San Pablo CEU Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: León-Espinosa
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurobiología Funcional y de Sistemas, Instituto Cajal, CSIC Madrid, Spain ; Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid Madrid, Spain ; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: DeFelipe
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurobiología Funcional y de Sistemas, Instituto Cajal, CSIC Madrid, Spain ; Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid Madrid, Spain ; Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muñoz
keywords: GM130; Golgin84; MG160; hibernation; pyramidal neuron