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Subcellular calcium dynamics during juvenile development in mouse hippocampal astrocytes
Author(s) -
Nakayama Ryota,
Sasaki Takuya,
Tanaka Kenji F.,
Ikegaya Yuji
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
european journal of neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.346
H-Index - 206
eISSN - 1460-9568
pISSN - 0953-816X
DOI - 10.1111/ejn.13188
Subject(s) - calcium , hippocampal formation , astrocyte , biology , neuroscience , extracellular , neurotransmission , calcium in biology , somatic cell , juvenile , hippocampus , microbiology and biotechnology , intracellular , medicine , central nervous system , biochemistry , receptor , genetics , gene
Abstract Astrocytes generate calcium signals throughout their fine processes, which are assumed to locally regulate neighbouring neurotransmission and blood flow. The intercellular morphological relationships mature during juvenile periods when astrocytes elongate highly ramified processes. In this study, we examined developmental changes in calcium activity patterns of single hippocampal astrocytes using a transgenic mouse line in which astrocytes selectively express a genetically encoded calcium indicator, Yellow Cameleon‐Nano50. Compared with postnatal day 7, astrocytes at postnatal day 30 showed larger subcellular calcium events and a greater proportion of somatic events. At both ages, the calcium activity was abolished by removal of extracellular calcium ions. Calcium events in late juvenile astrocytes were not affected by spontaneously occurring sharp waves that trigger synchronized neuronal spikes, implying the independence of astrocyte calcium signals from neuronal synchronization. These results demonstrate that astrocytes undergo dynamic changes in their activity patterns during juvenile development.