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In situ localization of myosin and actin in dendritic spines with the immunogold technique
Author(s) -
Morales Marisela,
Fifková Eva
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of comparative neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 209
eISSN - 1096-9861
pISSN - 0021-9967
DOI - 10.1002/cne.902790412
Subject(s) - biology , immunogold labelling , myosin , immunoelectron microscopy , dendritic spine , actin , microbiology and biotechnology , actin remodeling of neurons , ultrastructure , in situ , actin remodeling , biophysics , actin cytoskeleton , cytoskeleton , anatomy , neuroscience , biochemistry , chemistry , cell , immunohistochemistry , hippocampal formation , organic chemistry , immunology
Abstract The in situ detection of macromolecules by means of immunoelectron microscopy provides information about their ultrastructural localization in cellular compartments. With this technique, we have demonstrated that the contractile proteins actin and myosin are both localized in dendritic spines at densities exceeding those of other neuronal compartments. Myosin was associated with actin filaments, with spine plasma membrane, and with membranes of the spine apparatus. Given the dynamic properties of actin and myosin, these data suggest that these proteins may be involved in the mechanism of synatpic plasticity in general and in morphometric change resulting from intense synaptic activation in particular.