Activity-dependent decrease in contact areas between subsurface cisterns and plasma membrane of hippocampal neurons
Abstract Subsurface cistern (SSC) in neuronal soma and primary dendrites is a specialized compartment of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) that is in close apposition (10 nm) with the plasma membrane (PM). ER-PM contact areas are thought to be involved in intracellular calcium regulation. Here, structural...
| Published in: | Molecular Brain |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2018-04-01
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13041-018-0366-7 |
| Summary: | Abstract Subsurface cistern (SSC) in neuronal soma and primary dendrites is a specialized compartment of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) that is in close apposition (10 nm) with the plasma membrane (PM). ER-PM contact areas are thought to be involved in intracellular calcium regulation. Here, structural changes of SSC in hippocampal neurons were examined by electron microscopy upon depolarization with high K+ (90 mM) or application of NMDA (50 μM) in rat dissociated cultures as well as organotypic slice cultures. The number and average length of SSC-PM contact areas in neuronal somas significantly decreased within 30 s under excitatory condition. This decrease in SSC-PM contact area progressed with time and was reversible. These results demonstrate a structural decoupling between the SSC and the PM upon stimulation, suggesting that there may be a functional decoupling of the calcium regulation. Because SSC-PM contact areas may mediate calcium influx, the decrease in contact area may protect neurons from calcium overload upon heightened stimulation. |
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| ISSN: | 1756-6606 |