2004 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Morphological analysis of synaptic plasticity underlying memory of pheromone
| Project/Area Number |
15570058
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Morphology/Structure
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| Research Institution | Tokyo Metropolitan Organization for Medical Research |
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Principal Investigator |
ICHIKAWA Masumi Tokyo Metropolitan Organization for Medical Research, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Neuroscience, Research Staff, 東京都神経科学総合研究所, 副参事研究員 (20124414)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2003 – 2004
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| Keywords | Synapse / Pheromon / Plasticity / Vomeronasal system / Accessory olfactory bulb / Co-culture / Electron Microscope / Immunocytochemistry |
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| Research Abstract |
1.Morphological analysis on dynamics of functional molecules in synaptic plasticity
Localization of functional molecules on the synapse (receptor of glutamate, receptor of GABA, PSD 95) of accessory bulb was electron microscopically examined by immunocytochemically. Immunogold technique was best for study of distribution of functional molecules on postsynaptic density. It was revealed that many functional molecules were localized on the postsynaptic density.
2.Morphological and pharmacological analysis of transmission from vomeronasal organ to accessory olfactory bulb.
We have developed a primary co-culture system for VN organ and AOB to study functional roles of the VN and AOB neurons in pheromonal signal processing and the synaptic plasticity. In the present project, we revealed that the maturation of VN neuron was induced by co-culture with the AOB neurons. It has been hypothesized that the differentiation and /of maturation of AOB neurons was modified by VN neurons via specific synaptic interactions between the sensory neurons and its target.
In the next project, Spine densities were quantitatively measured on culture time course in vitro (DIV). The densities of dendritic spines developmentaly changed in both the AOB single culture and co-culture with VN neurons. The densities of spines on AOB neurons were lower in co-culture than in single-culture. Synapse formation on spines of AOB neurons was analyzed immunocytochemically with anti-synaptophysin antibody. Ratio of density of synaptophysin-immunopositive spine / total spine density was larger in co-culture than in single-culture. The volume of spine-head was larger in co-culture than in single-culture. These changes were not recognized in co-culture condition without physical contacts between AOB neurons and VN neurons.
The present results, thus, suggested that synapse formation on AOB neurons are modified by the contacts with VN neurons.
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