Journal
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Volume 104, Issue 49, Pages 19553-19558Publisher
NATL ACAD SCIENCES
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0704031104
Keywords
cortex; development; synapse
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Funding
- NCRR NIH HHS [P41-RR04050, P41 RR004050] Funding Source: Medline
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Dendritic spines are the major sites of excitatory synaptic transmission in the CNS, and their size and density influence the functioning of neuronal circuits. Here we report that NMDA receptor signaling plays a critical role in regulating spine size and density in the developing cortex. Genetic deletion of the NR1 subunit of the NMDA receptor in the cortex leads to a decrease in spine density and an increase in spine head size in cortical layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons. This process is accompanied by an increase in the presynaptic axon bouton volume and the postsynaptic density area, as well as an increase in the miniature excitatory postsynaptic current amplitude and frequency. These observations indicate that NMDA receptors regulate synapse structure and function in the developing cortex.
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