Glia selectively approach synapses on thin dendritic spines

This paper examines the relationship between the morphological modality of 189 dendritic spines and the surrounding astroglia using full three-dimensional reconstructions of neuropil fragments. An integrative measure of three-dimensional glial coverage confirms that thin spine postsynaptic densities are more tightly surrounded by glia. This distinction suggests that diffusion-dependent synapse–glia communication near ‘learning’ synapses (associated with thin spines) could be stronger than that near ‘memory’ synapses (associated with larger spines).

• Publication year

  2014

• Venue

  Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

• Publication date

  2014-10-19

• Fields of study

  Biology, Medicine

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1098/rstb.2014.0047PMID 25225105PMCID 4173297
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

• Structure and complexity of the synapse and dendritic spine

  2014cited by this paper
• Glia and the Synapse: Plasticity and Disease

  2014cited by this paper
• Astrocyte-Synapse Structural Plasticity

  2014cited by this paper
• Dendritic spines, synaptic plasticity and neuronal survival: activity shapes dendritic spines to enhance neuronal viability

  2010cited by this paper
• Complexity of contacts between synaptic boutons and dendritic spines in adult rat hippocampus: Three‐dimensional reconstructions from serial ultrathin sections in vivo

  2009cited by this paper
• Astrocytes potentiate transmitter release at single hippocampal synapses

  2009cited by this paper
• The glutamate receptor 2 subunit controls post‐synaptic density complexity and spine shape in the dentate gyrus

  2008cited by this paper
• Do thin spines learn to be mushroom spines that remember?

  2007cited by this paper
• Astrocytes Potentiate Transmitter Release at Single Hippocampal Synapses

  2007cited by this paper
• Glutamate exocytosis from astrocytes controls synaptic strength

  2007cited by this paper
• Plasticity of perisynaptic astroglia during synaptogenesis in the mature rat hippocampus

  2007cited by this paper
• Extracellular Glutamate Concentration in Hippocampal Slice

  2007cited by this paper
• Main Determinants of Presynaptic Ca2+ Dynamics at Individual Mossy Fiber–CA3 Pyramidal Cell Synapses

  2006cited by this paper
• Extrasynaptic NR2B and NR2D subunits of NMDA receptors are shaping “superslow” afterburst EPSC in hippocampus

  2006cited by this paper
• Electrophysiological and morphological characterization of dentate astrocytes in the hippocampus.

  2005cited by this paper
• Astrocytes, from brain glue to communication elements: the revolution continues

  2005cited by this paper
• Activity-dependent dendritic spine structural plasticity is regulated by small GTPase Rap1 and its target AF-6.

  2005cited by this paper
• Extrasynaptic NR2B and NR2D subunits of NMDA receptors shape ‘superslow’ afterburst EPSC in rat hippocampus

  2004cited by this paper
• NR2B-Containing Receptors Mediate Cross Talk among Hippocampal Synapses

  2004cited by this paper
• Physiological contribution of the astrocytic environment of neurons to intersynaptic crosstalk

  2004cited by this paper
• Structural basis of long-term potentiation in single dendritic spines

  2004cited by this paper
• Remodelling of synaptic morphology but unchanged synaptic density during late phase long-term potentiation (LTP): a serial section electron micrograph study in the dentate gyrus in the anaesthetised rat.

  2004cited by this paper
• Differences in the expression of AMPA and NMDA receptors between axospinous perforated and nonperforated synapses are related to the configuration and size of postsynaptic densities

  2004cited by this paper
• Optical quantal analysis reveals a presynaptic component of LTP at hippocampal Schaffer-associational synapses.

  2003cited by this paper
• Structural and quantitative analysis of astrocytes in the mouse hippocampus.

  2002cited by this paper
• Cooperation between independent hippocampal synapses is controlled by glutamate uptake

  2002cited by this paper
• Protoplasmic Astrocytes in CA1 Stratum Radiatum Occupy Separate Anatomical Domains

  2002cited by this paper
• Asymmetry of glia near central synapses favors presynaptically directed glutamate escape.

  2002cited by this paper
• Cylindrical diameters method for calibrating section thickness in serial electron microscopy

  2001cited by this paper
• Neuronal Glutamate Transporters Limit Activation of NMDA Receptors by Neurotransmitter Spillover on CA1 Pyramidal Cells

  2001cited by this paper
• Dendritic spine geometry is critical for AMPA receptor expression in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons

  2001cited by this paper
• Glutamate uptake.

  2001cited by this paper
• Control of Glutamate Clearance and Synaptic Efficacy by Glial Coverage of Neurons

  2001cited by this paper
• Slices Have More Synapses than Perfusion-Fixed Hippocampus from both Young and Mature Rats

  1999cited by this paper
• Three-Dimensional Relationships between Hippocampal Synapses and Astrocytes

  1999cited by this paper
• Clearance of glutamate inside the synapse and beyond.

  1999cited by this paper
• The Number of Glutamate Transporter Subtype Molecules at Glutamatergic Synapses: Chemical and Stereological Quantification in Young Adult Rat Brain

  1998cited by this paper
• Glial Contribution to Glutamate Uptake at Schaffer Collateral–Commissural Synapses in the Hippocampus

  1998cited by this paper
• Synapses in hippocampus occupy only 1-2% of cell membranes and are spaced less than half-micron apart: a quantitative ultrastructural analysis with discussion of physiological implications.

  1998cited by this paper
• Extrasynaptic Glutamate Diffusion in the Hippocampus: Ultrastructural Constraints, Uptake, and Receptor Activation

  1998cited by this paper
• Evidence for silent synapses: implications for the expression of LTP.

  1995cited by this paper
• Activation of postsynaptically silent synapses during pairing-induced LTP in CA1 region of hippocampal slice

  1995cited by this paper
• The revolution continues

  1995cited by this paper
• Three-dimensional structure of dendritic spines and synapses in rat hippocampus (CA1) at postnatal day 15 and adult ages: implications for the maturation of synaptic physiology and long-term potentiation [published erratum appears in J Neurosci 1992 Aug;12(8):following table of contents]

  1992cited by this paper
• Structural synaptic plasticity associated with the induction of long‐term potentiation is preserved in the dentate gyrus of aged rats

  1992cited by this paper

• LPS-induced inflammation differentially affects endogenous Ca2⁺ activity in mouse and human iPSC-derived astrocytes.

  2026cites this paper
• Perisynaptic astroglial response to in vivo long-term potentiation and concurrent long-term depression in the hippocampal dentate gyrus

  2025cites this paper
• Astrocyte-synapse structural plasticity in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases.

  2025cites this paper
• The ultrastructural properties of the endoplasmic reticulum govern microdomain signaling in perisynaptic astrocytic processes

  2025cites this paper
• The accumulation of extracellular K+ as in vivo model of epilepsy in CA1 pyramidal neurons

  2025cites this paper
• Gliotransmission in physiologic and pathologic conditions.

  2025cites this paper
• Super-resolution Analysis of Astrocyte Morphology Using Expansion Microscopy.

  2025cites this paper
• Uncovering synaptic and cellular nanoarchitecture of brain tissue via seamless in situ trimming and milling for cryo-electron tomography

  2025influential citation
• Perisynaptic Astroglial Response to In Vivo Long-Term Potentiation and Concurrent Long-Term Depression in the Hippocampal Dentate Gyrus

  2025cites this paper
• Beyond neurons: computer vision methods for analysis of morphologically complex astrocytes

  2024cites this paper
• Astrocyte Ezrin defines resilience to stress-induced depressive behaviours in mice

  2024cites this paper
• Astrocyte coverage of excitatory synapses correlates to measures of synapse structure and function in ferret primary visual cortex

  2024cites this paper
• Tonic NMDAR Currents in the Brain: Regulation and Cognitive Functions.

  2024cites this paper
• The "molecular soldiers" of the CNS: Astrocytes, a comprehensive review on their roles and molecular signatures.

  2023cites this paper
• Astrocyte coverage of excitatory synapses correlates to measures of synapse structure and function in primary visual cortex

  2023cites this paper
• Epileptic activity triggers rapid ROCK1‐dependent astrocyte morphology changes

  2023cites this paper
• Introduction: What Are Dendritic Spines?

  2023cites this paper
• Glial Cell Modulation of Dendritic Spine Structure and Synaptic Function.

  2023cites this paper
• Astrocyte morphology.

  2023cites this paper
• Organizing principles of astrocytic nanoarchitecture in the mouse cerebral cortex.

  2023cites this paper
• Glutamate–Transporter Unbinding in Probabilistic Synaptic Environment Facilitates Activation of Distant NMDA Receptors

  2023influential citation
• Astrocytic Foxo1 regulates hippocampal spinogenesis and synaptic plasticity to enhance fear memory

  2023cites this paper
• Astrocytes in Ageing.

  2023cites this paper
• The influence of astrocytic leaflet motility on ionic signalling and homeostasis at active synapses

  2023cites this paper
• Induced Remodelling of Astrocytes In Vitro and In Vivo by Manipulation of Astrocytic RhoA Activity

  2023influential citation
• Astrocytic engagement of the corticostriatal synaptic cleft is disrupted in a mouse model of Huntington’s disease

  2023cites this paper
• Remembering Mike Stewart.

  2022cites this paper
• Estimating the glutamate transporter surface density in distinct sub-cellular compartments of mouse hippocampal astrocytes

  2022cites this paper
• Structural Heterogeneity of the GABAergic Tripartite Synapse

  2022cites this paper
• Astrocytes in memory formation and maintenance.

  2022cites this paper
• Plasticity of perisynaptic astroglia during ischemia-induced spreading depolarization.

  2022cites this paper
• Astrocytic engagement of the corticostriatal synaptic cleft is disrupted in a mouse model of Huntington disease

  2022cites this paper
• Cellular mechanisms mediating activity‐dependent extracellular space shrinkage in the retina

  2022cites this paper
• A high‐fat diet changes astrocytic metabolism to promote synaptic plasticity and behavior

  2022cites this paper
• The role of astrocyte structural plasticity in regulating neural circuit function and behavior

  2022cites this paper
• A closer look at astrocyte morphology: Development, heterogeneity, and plasticity at astrocyte leaflets.

  2022cites this paper
• Ultrastructural view of astrocyte arborization, astrocyte-astrocyte and astrocyte-synapse contacts, intracellular vesicle-like structures, and mitochondrial network.

  2022cites this paper
• Astrocyte Heterogeneity in Regulation of Synaptic Activity

  2022cites this paper
• Obituary for Professor Michael G. Stewart: Life in Neurosciences.

  2022cites this paper
• Estimating the glutamate transporter surface density in distinct sub-cellular compartments of mouse hippocampal astrocytes

  2021cites this paper
• Super-resolution imaging to reveal the nanostructure of tripartite 1 synapses 2 3

  2021cites this paper
• Astrocyte dystrophy in ageing brain parallels impaired synaptic plasticity

  2021cites this paper
• A high-fat diet changes astrocytic metabolism to enhance synaptic plasticity and promote exploratory behavior

  2021cites this paper
• 3D Architectural Analysis of Neurons, Astrocytes, Vasculature & Nuclei in the Motor and Somatosensory Murine Cortical Columns

  2021cites this paper
• Super-resolution imaging to reveal the nanostructure of tripartite synapses

  2021cites this paper
• Deciphering the functional nano‐anatomy of the tripartite synapse using stimulated emission depletion microscopy

  2021cites this paper
• Glial decline and loss of homeostatic support rather than inflammation defines cognitive aging

  2021cites this paper
• Buffering by Transporters Can Spare Geometric Hindrance in Controlling Glutamate Escape

  2021cites this paper
• Synaptic environment and extrasynaptic glutamate signals: The quest continues.

  2021influential citation
• Heterogeneity and Development of Fine Astrocyte Morphology Captured by Diffraction-Limited Microscopy

  2021influential citation
• Regulation of Glutamate, GABA and Dopamine Transporter Uptake, Surface Mobility and Expression

  2021cites this paper
• Measuring Shape Relations Using r-Parallel Sets

  2020cites this paper
• Imaging tripartite synapses using super-resolution microscopy

  2020cites this paper
• Neuron-Glial Interactions

  2020cites this paper
• Volume Electron Microscopy Study of the Relationship Between Synapses and Astrocytes in the Developing Rat Somatosensory Cortex

  2020cites this paper
• Erratum to: Volume Electron Microscopy Study of the Relationship Between Synapses and Astrocytes in the Developing Rat Somatosensory Cortex.

  2020cites this paper
• Local Resting Ca2+ Controls the Scale of Astroglial Ca2+ Signals

  2020cites this paper
• Subfield-specific Effects of Chronic Mild Unpredictable Stress on Hippocampal Astrocytes

  2020cites this paper
• Local Resting Ca Controls the Scale of Astroglial Ca Signals

  2020cites this paper
• Caloric restriction triggers morphofunctional remodeling of astrocytes and enhances synaptic plasticity in the mouse hippocampus

  2020cites this paper
• Astrocytogenesis: where, when, and how

  2020cites this paper
• Astrocytes dystrophy in ageing brain parallels impaired synaptic plasticity

  2020cites this paper
• Making sense of astrocytic calcium signals — from acquisition to interpretation

  2020cites this paper
• Local Efficacy of Glutamate Uptake Decreases with Synapse Size.

  2020cites this paper
• LTP Induction Boosts Glutamate Spillover by Driving Withdrawal of Perisynaptic Astroglia

  2020influential citation
• Astroglial asthenia and loss of function, rather than reactivity, contribute to the ageing of the brain

  2020cites this paper
• Multicolor Superresolution Microscopy: Revealing the Nano World of Astrocytes In Situ

  2020cites this paper
• Making sense of astrocytic calcium signals — from acquisition to interpretation

  2020cites this paper
• Control of Long-Term Plasticity by Glutamate Transporters

  2019cites this paper
• LTP Induction Boosts Glutamate Spillover by Driving Withdrawal of Astroglia

  2019influential citation
• ApoE4 pathology in Alzheimer's disease from the perspective of organelle dysfunction in astrocytes

  2019cites this paper
• Astrocyte morphology: Diversity, plasticity, and role in neurological diseases

  2019cites this paper
• Simulating calcium signaling in fine astrocytic processes

  2019cites this paper
• Examining Cardiomyocyte Dysfunction Using Acute Chemical Induction of an Ageing Phenotype

  2019cites this paper
• Simulation de la signalisation calcique dans les prolongements fins astrocytaires

  2019cites this paper
• NCX activity generates spontaneous Ca2+ oscillations in the astrocytic leaflet microdomain.

  2019cites this paper
• A Method to Visualize the Nanoscopic Morphology of Astrocytes In Vitro and In Situ.

  2019cites this paper
• Stress Elicits Contrasting Effects on the Structure and Number of Astrocytes in the Amygdala versus Hippocampus

  2019cites this paper
• Single Synapse Indicators of Impaired Glutamate Clearance Derived from Fast iGluu Imaging of Cortical Afferents in the Striatum of Normal and Huntington (Q175) Mice

  2019cites this paper
• Astroglial dysfunctions drive aberrant synaptogenesis and social behavioral deficits in mice with neonatal exposure to lengthy general anesthesia

  2019cites this paper
• LTP induction drives remodeling of astroglia to boost glutamate escape from synapses

  2019influential citation
• An astrocytic basis of caloric restriction action on the brain plasticity

  2019cites this paper
• A Neuron–Glial Perspective for Computational Neuroscience

  2019cites this paper
• Disentangling astroglial physiology with a realistic cell model in silico

  2018cites this paper
• Astroglial biophysics probed with a realistic cell model

  2018cites this paper
• Glutamate uptake and release at single adult corticostriatal synapses of normal and Huntington mice

  2018cites this paper
• Astroglial dysfunctions drive aberrant synaptogenesis in developing brain with lengthy general anesthesia

  2018cites this paper
• Biophysical underpinning of astroglial physiology probed with realistic cell models

  2018cites this paper
• Astroglia withdraw from potentiated synapses boosting inter-synaptic cross-talk

  2018influential citation
• Morphological profile determines the frequency of spontaneous calcium events in astrocytic processes

  2018cites this paper
• The Astrocytic Microdomain as a Generative Mechanism for Local Plasticity

  2018cites this paper
• Important Shapeshifter: Mechanisms Allowing Astrocytes to Respond to the Changing Nervous System During Development, Injury and Disease

  2018cites this paper
• Astrocytic Coverage of Dendritic Spines, Dendritic Shafts, and Axonal Boutons in Hippocampal Neuropil

  2018cites this paper
• Astrocytic Atrophy Following Status Epilepticus Parallels Reduced Ca2+ Activity and Impaired Synaptic Plasticity in the Rat Hippocampus

  2018cites this paper
• Astroglial Glutamate Signaling and Uptake in the Hippocampus

  2018influential citation
• Abstractocyte: A Visual Tool for Exploring Nanoscale Astroglial Cells

  2018cites this paper
• Diversity of astrocyte potassium channels: An update.

  2018cites this paper
• Local energy on demand: Are 'spontaneous' astrocytic Ca2+-microdomains the regulatory unit for astrocyte-neuron metabolic cooperation?

  2018cites this paper
• Control of astrocyte morphology by Rho GTPases.

  2018cites this paper
• Astroglial Versus Neuronal D-Serine: Check Your Controls!

  2017cites this paper