Actin in Dendritic Spines: Connecting Dynamics to Function

Overview

Journal J Cell Biol

Specialty Cell Biology

Date 2010 May 12

PMID 20457765

Citations 424

Authors

Pirta Hotulainen

Casper C Hoogenraad

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Dendritic spines are small actin-rich protrusions from neuronal dendrites that form the postsynaptic part of most excitatory synapses and are major sites of information processing and storage in the brain. Changes in the shape and size of dendritic spines are correlated with the strength of excitatory synaptic connections and heavily depend on remodeling of its underlying actin cytoskeleton. Emerging evidence suggests that most signaling pathways linking synaptic activity to spine morphology influence local actin dynamics. Therefore, specific mechanisms of actin regulation are integral to the formation, maturation, and plasticity of dendritic spines and to learning and memory.

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