Dynamic analysis of spine synapses by super-resolution imaging

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K15892
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 46010:Neuroscience-general-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Kashiwati Yutaro 東京大学, 大学院医学系研究科(医学部), 助教 (90840893)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: シナプス / 神経回路 / ライブイメージング / 超解像顕微鏡

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to establish a technique for imaging and analyzing the correspondence between presynaptic and postsynaptic structures, and also applying this super-resolution imaging technique to mouse brain tissue to understand the structural changes in spine synapses that occur during memory aqcuisition in living animals. Using the newly developed imaging technique, I was able to observe the convex shape of axon terminals corresponding to the concavity of the spine hea. I also established conditions for higher resolution super-resolution imaging of brain specimens, and developed a technique to image synapses in relation to the dynamics recorded by in vivo imaging.

Free Research Field

神経細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

脳のシナプスを詳細かつ大規模に解析することで、記憶や学習と言ったヒトの高次脳機能のメカニズムの理解が進む。本研究開発により確立された解析技術により記憶・学習をコードする神経細胞のシナプスレベルでの構造的な理解が進む。また、この技術は神経疾患モデル神経への適用が可能であり疾患特異的なシナプスの病理的な変化の解明に貢献することができる。