Experimental Neurology Unit, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy.
NeuroMI (Milan Centre for Neuroscience), 20126 Milan, Italy.
Cells. 2022 Aug 11;11(16):2499. doi: 10.3390/cells11162499.
Neurons are permanent cells whose key feature is information transmission via chemical and electrical signals. Therefore, a finely tuned homeostasis is necessary to maintain function and preserve neuronal lifelong survival. The cytoskeleton, and in particular microtubules, are far from being inert actors in the maintenance of this complex cellular equilibrium, and they participate in the mobilization of molecular cargos and organelles, thus influencing neuronal migration, neuritis growth and synaptic transmission. Notably, alterations of cytoskeletal dynamics have been linked to alterations of neuronal excitability. In this review, we discuss the characteristics of the neuronal cytoskeleton and provide insights into alterations of this component leading to human diseases, addressing how these might affect excitability/synaptic activity, as well as neuronal functioning. We also provide an overview of the microscopic approaches to visualize and assess the cytoskeleton, with a specific focus on mitochondrial trafficking.
神经元是永久性细胞，其主要特征是通过化学和电信号进行信息传递。因此，需要精细的动态平衡来维持功能并保护神经元的终身存活。细胞骨架，特别是微管，在维持这种复杂的细胞平衡中远非被动的参与者，它们参与分子货物和细胞器的动员，从而影响神经元迁移、神经炎生长和突触传递。值得注意的是，细胞骨架动力学的改变与神经元兴奋性的改变有关。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了神经元细胞骨架的特征，并深入探讨了导致人类疾病的这种成分的改变，以及这些改变如何影响兴奋性/突触活性以及神经元功能。我们还概述了可视化和评估细胞骨架的微观方法，特别关注线粒体运输。
