Dendritic Spines Plasticity and Glia

Dear Colleagues,

Dendritic spines are exclusively neuronal processes; this has for a long time misled the analysis of neural plasticity toward a neurocentric approach. It has now become apparent, however, that spines serve as the gate, controller, and operator of plasticity. The ionic behavior of a spine sets the pace in terms of time, changing the frequency of the network. Moreover, some “memory spines” have a kind of coordination center for their own activity—a spine apparatus. This is why each part can modify the behavior of the whole.

Dendritic spines can influence the dendritic shaft and be influenced by it, playing an active role in translation by the intense trafficking in and out of receptors, membrane-associated proteins, and postsynaptic density composition. However, there is growing evidence that the synaptic region is under the strong control of astrocytes and microglia, forming the so-called “quad-partite” synapse.

Recent years have clarified that neurotransmitters’ fate is managed mainly by astrocytic end feet forming a cuff all around the synaptic domain. The number of the spines is controlled by microglial cells continuously pruning the neuropile modifying the nodes of the net. The shape of the spine is strictly related to the surrounding matrix, which allows or inhibits plastic changes.

Prof. Dr. Michele Papa
Prof. Eduard Korkotian
Guest Editors

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• dendritic spine plasticity
• glia