title: Actin cytoskeleton in dendritic spine development and plasticity.
abstract: Synapses are the basic unit of neuronal communication and their disruption is associated with many neurological disorders. Significant progress has been made towards understanding the molecular and genetic regulation of synapse formation, modulation, and dysfunction, but the underlying cellular mechanisms remain incomplete. The actin cytoskeleton not only provides the structural foundation for synapses, but also regulates a diverse array of cellular activities underlying synaptic function. Here we will discuss the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton in dendritic spines, the postsynaptic compartment of excitatory synapses. We will focus on a select number of actin regulatory processes, highlighting recent advances, the complexity of crosstalk between different pathways, and the challenges of understanding their precise impact on the structure and function of synapses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States.
authors.forename: Wenliang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States.
authors.forename: Omotola F
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Omotade
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States.
authors.forename: Kenneth R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States; Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States. Electronic address: james.zheng@emory.edu.
authors.forename: James Q
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism*; D049229:Dendritic Spines / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D013569:Synapses