Ultrastructural Analysis of Neuronal Synapses Using State-of-the-art Nano-imaging Techniques

Overview

Journal Neurosci Bull

Specialty Neurology

Date 2012 Jul 27

PMID 22833032

Citations 8

Authors

Changlu Tao

Chenglong Xia

Xiaobing Chen

Z Hong Zhou

Guoqiang Bi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Neuronal synapses are functional nodes in neural circuits. Their organization and activity define an individual's level of intelligence, emotional state and mental health. Changes in the structure and efficacy of synapses are the biological basis of learning and memory. However, investigation of the molecular architecture of synapses has been impeded by the lack of efficient techniques with sufficient resolution. Recent developments in state-of-the-art nano-imaging techniques have opened up a new window for dissecting the molecular organization of neuronal synapses with unprecedented resolution. Here, we review recent technological advances in nano-imaging techniques as well as their applications to the study of synapses, emphasizing super-resolution light microscopy and 3-dimensional electron tomography.

Citing Articles

STED Imaging of Vesicular Endocytosis in the Synapse.

Hu S, Xie Z, Wang B, Chen Y, Jing Z, Hao Y Neurosci Bull. 2024; 40(9):1379-1395.

PMID: 38976218 PMC: 11365914. DOI: 10.1007/s12264-024-01254-7.

Mapping of individual sensory nerve axons from digits to spinal cord with the transparent embedding solvent system.

Yi Y, Li Y, Zhang S, Men Y, Wang Y, Jing D Cell Res. 2024; 34(2):124-139.

PMID: 38168640 PMC: 10837210. DOI: 10.1038/s41422-023-00867-3.

Finding Needles in a Haystack with Light: Resolving the Microcircuitry of the Brain with Fluorescence Microscopy.

Rah J, Choi J Mol Cells. 2022; 45(2):84-92.

PMID: 35236783 PMC: 8907002. DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2022.2021.

Haploinsufficiency Impairs Dendritic Arborization and Spine Formation, Leading to Cognitive Deficits.

Su Y, Liu J, Yu B, Ba R, Zhao C Front Cell Neurosci. 2019; 13:249.

PMID: 31213987 PMC: 6558182. DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00249.

Postsynaptic protein organization revealed by electron microscopy.

Liu Y, Tao C, Lau P, Zhou Z, Bi G Curr Opin Struct Biol. 2019; 54:152-160.

PMID: 30904821 PMC: 6753054. DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2019.02.012.

References

Lucic V, Kossel A, Yang T, Bonhoeffer T, Baumeister W, Sartori A . Multiscale imaging of neurons grown in culture: from light microscopy to cryo-electron tomography. J Struct Biol. 2007; 160(2):146-56. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2007.08.014. View

Adrian M, Dubochet J, Lepault J, McDowall A . Cryo-electron microscopy of viruses. Nature. 1984; 308(5954):32-6. DOI: 10.1038/308032a0. View

Shu X, Lev-Ram V, Deerinck T, Qi Y, Ramko E, Davidson M . A genetically encoded tag for correlated light and electron microscopy of intact cells, tissues, and organisms. PLoS Biol. 2011; 9(4):e1001041. PMC: 3071375. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1001041. View

Rust M, Bates M, Zhuang X . Sub-diffraction-limit imaging by stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM). Nat Methods. 2006; 3(10):793-5. PMC: 2700296. DOI: 10.1038/nmeth929. View

Berning S, Willig K, Steffens H, Dibaj P, Hell S . Nanoscopy in a living mouse brain. Science. 2012; 335(6068):551. DOI: 10.1126/science.1215369. View

Beck M, Lucic V, Forster F, Baumeister W, Medalia O . Snapshots of nuclear pore complexes in action captured by cryo-electron tomography. Nature. 2007; 449(7162):611-5. DOI: 10.1038/nature06170. View

Kirschning E, RUTTER G, Hohenberg H . High-pressure freezing and freeze-substitution of native rat brain: suitability for preservation and immunoelectron microscopic localization of myelin glycolipids. J Neurosci Res. 1998; 53(4):465-74. DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-4547(19980815)53:4<465::AID-JNR8>3.0.CO;2-4. View

Kennedy M . Signal-processing machines at the postsynaptic density. Science. 2000; 290(5492):750-4. DOI: 10.1126/science.290.5492.750. View

Zanetti G, Riches J, Fuller S, Briggs J . Contrast transfer function correction applied to cryo-electron tomography and sub-tomogram averaging. J Struct Biol. 2009; 168(2):305-12. PMC: 2806944. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2009.08.002. View

10.

Ruiz T, Erk I, Lepault J . Electron cryo-microscopy of vitrified biological specimens: towards high spatial and temporal resolution. Biol Cell. 1994; 80(2-3):203-10. DOI: 10.1111/j.1768-322x.1994.tb00931.x. View

11.

Dalva M, McClelland A, Kayser M . Cell adhesion molecules: signalling functions at the synapse. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2007; 8(3):206-20. PMC: 4756920. DOI: 10.1038/nrn2075. View

12.

Bates M, Dempsey G, Chen K, Zhuang X . Multicolor super-resolution fluorescence imaging via multi-parameter fluorophore detection. Chemphyschem. 2012; 13(1):99-107. PMC: 3353744. DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201100735. View

13.

Huang B, Babcock H, Zhuang X . Breaking the diffraction barrier: super-resolution imaging of cells. Cell. 2010; 143(7):1047-58. PMC: 3272504. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2010.12.002. View

14.

Bayes A, Grant S . Neuroproteomics: understanding the molecular organization and complexity of the brain. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2009; 10(9):635-46. DOI: 10.1038/nrn2701. View

15.

Heine M, Groc L, Frischknecht R, Beique J, Lounis B, Rumbaugh G . Surface mobility of postsynaptic AMPARs tunes synaptic transmission. Science. 2008; 320(5873):201-5. PMC: 2715948. DOI: 10.1126/science.1152089. View

16.

Hell S, Wichmann J . Breaking the diffraction resolution limit by stimulated emission: stimulated-emission-depletion fluorescence microscopy. Opt Lett. 2009; 19(11):780-2. DOI: 10.1364/ol.19.000780. View

17.

DeFelipe J . From the connectome to the synaptome: an epic love story. Science. 2010; 330(6008):1198-201. DOI: 10.1126/science.1193378. View

18.

Fernandez-Busnadiego R, Schrod N, Kochovski Z, Asano S, Vanhecke D, Baumeister W . Insights into the molecular organization of the neuron by cryo-electron tomography. J Electron Microsc (Tokyo). 2011; 60 Suppl 1:S137-48. DOI: 10.1093/jmicro/dfr018. View

19.

Bates M, Huang B, Dempsey G, Zhuang X . Multicolor super-resolution imaging with photo-switchable fluorescent probes. Science. 2007; 317(5845):1749-53. PMC: 2633025. DOI: 10.1126/science.1146598. View

20.

Ji N, Shroff H, Zhong H, Betzig E . Advances in the speed and resolution of light microscopy. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2009; 18(6):605-16. DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2009.03.009. View