Astrocytes Exhibit Diverse Ca Changes at Subcellular Domains During Brain Aging

Overview

Journal Front Aging Neurosci

Specialty Geriatrics

Date 2022 Nov 17

PMID 36389078

Authors

Fusheng Ding

Shanshan Liang

Ruijie Li

Zhiqi Yang

Yong He

Shaofan Yang

Qingtian Duan

Jianxiong Zhang

Jing Lyu

Zhenqiao Zhou

Mingzhu Huang

Haoyu Wang

Jin Li

Chuanyan Yang

Yuxia Wang

Mingyue Gong

Shangbin Chen

Hongbo Jia

Xiaowei Chen

Xiang Liao

Ling Fu

Kuan Zhang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Astrocytic Ca transients are essential for astrocyte integration into neural circuits. These Ca transients are primarily sequestered in subcellular domains, including primary branches, branchlets and leaflets, and endfeet. In previous studies, it suggests that aging causes functional defects in astrocytes. Until now, it was unclear whether and how aging affects astrocytic Ca transients at subcellular domains. In this study, we combined a genetically encoded Ca sensor (GCaMP6f) and two-photon Ca imaging to determine changes in Ca transients within astrocytic subcellular domains during brain aging. We showed that aging increased Ca transients in astrocytic primary branches, higher-order branchlets, and terminal leaflets. However, Ca transients decreased within astrocytic endfeet during brain aging, which could be caused by the decreased expressions of Aquaporin-4 (AQP4). In addition, aging-induced changes of Ca transient types were heterogeneous within astrocytic subcellular domains. These results demonstrate that the astrocytic Ca transients within subcellular domains are affected by aging differently. This finding contributes to a better understanding of the physiological role of astrocytes in aging-induced neural circuit degeneration.

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