Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1300 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2011 Feb;21(1):175-81. doi: 10.1016/j.conb.2010.08.013. Epub 2010 Sep 9.
Dendritic spines are small actin-rich protrusions on the surface of dendrites whose morphological and molecular plasticity play key roles in learning and memory. Both the form and function of spines are critically dependent on the actin cytoskeleton. However, new research, using electron microscopy and live-cell super-resolution microscopy indicates that the actin cytoskeleton is more complex and dynamic than originally thought. Also, exciting recent studies from several labs indicate that microtubules, once thought to be restricted to the dendrite shaft, can make excursions into the most distal regions of dendritic spines. Moreover, microtubule invasions of spines appear to be associated with changes in synaptic activity. Thus, it is likely that dynamic interactions between microtubules and actin filaments within dendritic spines play important roles in dendritic spine plasticity.
树突棘是树突表面富含肌动蛋白的小突起，其形态和分子可塑性在学习和记忆中起着关键作用。棘突的形态和功能都严重依赖于肌动蛋白细胞骨架。然而，新的研究使用电子显微镜和活细胞超分辨率显微镜表明，肌动蛋白细胞骨架比最初想象的更复杂和动态。此外，来自几个实验室的令人兴奋的最新研究表明，曾经被认为局限于树突干的微管可以进入树突棘的最远端区域。此外，微管对棘突的入侵似乎与突触活动的变化有关。因此，树突棘内微管和肌动蛋白丝之间的动态相互作用很可能在树突棘可塑性中发挥重要作用。
