Abstract

Excessive synapses generated during early development are eliminated extensively to form functionally mature neural circuits. Synapses in juvenile and mature brains are highly dynamic, and undergo remodeling processes through constant formation and elimination of dendritic spines. Although neural activity has been implicated in initiating the synapse elimination process cell-autonomously, the cellular and molecular mechanisms that transduce changes in correlated neural activity into structural changes in synapses are largely unknown. Recently, however, new findings provide evidence that in different species, glial cells, non-neuronal cell types in the nervous system are crucial in eliminating neural debris and unwanted synapses through phagocytosis. Glial cells not only clear fragmented axons and synaptic debris produced during synapse elimination, but also engulf unwanted synapses thereby actively promoting synapse elimination non-cell autonomously. These new findings support the important role of glial cells in the formation and maintenance of functional neural circuits in development as well as in adult stages and neurodegenerative diseases.

View details for DOI 10.1016/j.conb.2011.10.003

View details for Web of Science ID 000306634700011

View details for PubMedID 22036016

School of Medicine

Showing 1-3 of 3 Results

Won-Suk Chung

Postdoctoral Research fellow, Neurobiology

Amy Leong

Finance Speclialist, Neurobiology

Susanna Wen

Temp - Non-Exempt, Neurobiology

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