Fine structure of hippocampal mossy fiber synapses following rapid high-pressure freezing

Zhao, Shanting; Studer, Daniel; Graber, Werner; Nestel, Sigrun; Frotscher, Michael (2012). Fine structure of hippocampal mossy fiber synapses following rapid high-pressure freezing. Epilepsia, 53 Suppl 1, pp. 4-8. Malden, Mass.: Wiley-Blackwell 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2012.03469.x

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Synapses of hippocampal neurons play important roles in learning and memory processes and are involved in aberrant hippocampal function in temporal lobe epilepsy. Major neuronal types in the hippocampus as well as their input and output synapses are well known, but it has remained an open question to what extent conventional electron microscopy (EM) has provided us with the real appearance of synaptic fine structure under in vivo conditions. There is reason to assume that conventional aldehyde fixation and dehydration lead to protein denaturation and tissue shrinkage, likely associated with the occurrence of artifacts. However, realistic fine-structural data of synapses are required for our understanding of the transmission process and for its simulation. Here, we used high-pressure freezing and cryosubstitution of hippocampal tissue that was not subjected to aldehyde fixation and dehydration in ethanol to monitor the fine structure of an identified synapse in the hippocampal CA3 region, that is, the synapse between granule cell axons, the mossy fibers, and the proximal dendrites of CA3 pyramidal neurons. Our results showed that high-pressure freezing nicely preserved ultrastructural detail of this particular synapse and allowed us to study rapid structural changes associated with synaptic plasticity.

Item Type:	Journal Article (Original Article)
Division/Institute:	04 Faculty of Medicine > Pre-clinic Human Medicine > Institute of Anatomy
UniBE Contributor:	Studer, Daniel Franz, Graber, Werner Adrian
ISSN:	0013-9580
Publisher:	Wiley-Blackwell
Language:	English
Submitter:	Factscience Import
Date Deposited:	04 Oct 2013 14:35
Last Modified:	05 Dec 2022 14:11
Publisher DOI:	10.1111/j.1528-1167.2012.03469.x
PubMed ID:	22612803
Web of Science ID:	000304257700002
URI:	https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/14065 (FactScience: 220869)