Mechanisms underlying astrocyte-synapse contact dynamics

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H04280
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Neurochemistry/Neuropharmacology
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: GODA YUKIKO 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 脳科学総合研究センター, チームリーダー (40614897)
• Research Collaborator: LETELLIER Mathieu ; PARK Yun Kyun ; CHATER Thomas ; CHIPMAN Peter ; GAUTAM Sunita ; KAWAI Atsushi
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: シナプス強度 / シナプス可塑性 / アストロサイト

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Towards the goal of characterizing the dynamic interaction between astrocytes and synapses and identifying the underlying molecular mechanisms, we first constructed astrocyte-specific probes and validated promoters for astrocyte-specific expression. We then estabished virus production and stereotactic injection system to enable astrocyte-specific molecular manipulation in acute hippocampal slice preparations. Furthermore, we explored the role for gap junctions, which had previously been implicated in affecting asrtocyte-synapse structural contacts, and identified a functional role for the connexins, the gap junction proteins, in controlling synaptic strength and plasticity.

Free Research Field

神経細胞生物学