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The Ca 2+ and Rho GTPase signaling pathways underlying activity‐dependent actin remodeling at dendritic spines
Author(s) -
Saneyoshi Takeo,
Hayashi Yasunori
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
cytoskeleton
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.95
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1949-3592
pISSN - 1949-3584
DOI - 10.1002/cm.21037
Subject(s) - dendritic spine , biology , actin remodeling of neurons , dendritic filopodia , actin remodeling , excitatory postsynaptic potential , microbiology and biotechnology , postsynaptic potential , actin cytoskeleton , neurotransmission , actin , cytoskeleton , neuroscience , inhibitory postsynaptic potential , receptor , cell , biochemistry , hippocampal formation
Most excitatory synapses reside on small protrusions located on the dendritic shaft of neurons called dendritic spines. Neuronal activity regulates the number and structure of spines in both developing and mature brains. Such morphological changes are mediated by the modification of the actin cytoskeleton, the major structural component of spines. Because the number and size of spines is tightly correlated with the strength of synaptic transmission, the activity‐dependent structural remodeling of a spine plays an important role in the modulation of synaptic transmission. The regulation of spine morphogenesis utilizes multiple intracellular signaling pathways that alter the dynamics of actin remodeling. Here, we will review recent studies examining the signaling pathways underlying activity‐dependent actin remodeling at excitatory postsynaptic neurons. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc