A novel unbiased counting method for the quantification of synapses in the mouse brain

Reichmann, Florian; Painsipp, Evelin; Holzer, Peter; Kummer, Daniel; Bock, Elisabeth; Leitinger, Gerd

doi:10.1016/j.jneumeth.2014.10.020

Cited by 10 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 35 publications

(58 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The second mechanism that may underlie the negative impact of EE in NPY KO mice is a change in the synaptic architecture of the DGpl. In line with a previous study from our group 48 , EE increased synaptic cleft width in the DGpl of WT mice, the major source of hippocampal NPY 49 . In EE-housed NPY KO mice, however, synaptic cleft width was altered in the opposite direction, i.e.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…In line with a previous study from our group48, EE increased synaptic cleft width in the DGpl of WT mice, the major source of hippocampal NPY49. In EE-housed NPY KO mice, however, synaptic cleft width was altered in the opposite direction, i.e.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…Thus, the increased cell density in the DGpl might be a result of DGpl compression by increased neurogenesis in the DGgl, but not an effect related to cell proliferation in the DGpl itself. As previously described48, the number of DCVs in WT mice was lower after EE, but here we found that this effect is also present in the DGpl of NPY KO mice. We thus speculate that EE stimulates DCV turnover in both genotypes, but this process may be without a functional consequence in NPY KO mice, because of the absence of NPY.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

“…Tissue preparation for electron microscopy and analysis of ultrastructural data followed our previously published procedure48. The numerical densities of synapses and dense-core vesicles (DCV) were assessed using a dissector of 5.5 × 5.5 μm size, while the mean length of the presynaptic membrane cross section and of the postsynaptic density in cross section, average width of the synaptic cleft as well as the average number of docked vesicles (vesicles with a maximum distance from the presynaptic membrane of one vesicle diameter) and undocked vesicles (those with a maximum distance of one vesicle diameter from docked or other undocked vesicles at the same synapse) were determined on single sections (10 synapses/animal).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Environmental enrichment induces behavioural disturbances in neuropeptide Y knockout mice

Reichmann

Wegerer

Jain

et al. 2016

Sci Rep

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Environmental enrichment (EE) refers to the provision of a complex and stimulating housing condition which improves well-being, behaviour and brain function of laboratory animals. The mechanisms behind these beneficial effects of EE are only partially understood. In the current report, we describe a link between EE and neuropeptide Y (NPY), based on findings from NPY knockout (KO) mice exposed to EE. Relative to EE-housed wildtype (WT) animals, NPY KO mice displayed altered behaviour as well as molecular and morphological changes in amygdala and hippocampus. Exposure of WT mice to EE reduced anxiety and decreased central glucocorticoid receptor expression, effects which were absent in NPY KO mice. In addition, NPY deletion altered the preference of EE items, and EE-housed NPY KO mice responded to stress with exaggerated hyperthermia, displayed impaired spatial memory, had higher hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA levels and altered hippocampal synaptic plasticity, effects which were not seen in WT mice. Accordingly, these findings suggest that NPY contributes to the anxiolytic effect of EE and that NPY deletion reverses the beneficial effects of EE into a negative experience. The NPY system could thus be a target for “enviromimetics”, therapeutics which reproduce the beneficial effects of enhanced environmental stimulation.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Environmental enrichment induces behavioural disturbances in neuropeptide Y knockout mice

Reichmann

Wegerer

Jain

et al. 2016

Sci Rep

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This technique is well-suited to prepare tissue sections, typically between 10 and 100 µm thick, that can subsequently be processed by histochemical, immunohistochemical or electron microscopic methods. This approach has been used for studying the brain (Kálmán & Ari 2002, Lieberoth et al 2003, Lecht reck et al 2009, Pilaz & Silver 2014, Reichmann et al 2015, cardiovascular system (Bryson et al 2011, Price et al 2014, liver (Hampton et al 1987, Satoh et al 2005) and retina and lenses (Freel et al 2003, Alvarez-Viejo et al 2004, Enski et al 2013) in fishes and other vertebrates. Whole body transverse sections are commonly used for diagnostic work to understand the full extent of the histological lesions that are caused by fish pathogens (Bruno et al 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Histochemistry on vibratome sections of fish tissue: a comparison of fixation and embedding methods

Grunow¹,

Kirchhoff²,

Lange³

et al. 2015

Aquat. Biol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Characterization of three‐dimensional rat central nervous system culture maturation, with applications to monitor cholinergic integrity

Andersen

Vermette

Khalil

et al. 2020

Biotechnology Progress

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Studying age‐related neuropathologies in vitro requires a three‐dimensional (3D) culture system presenting mature phenotypes. In this study, we aimed to determine whether aged reaggregate cultures physiologically represent mature brain tissue. Results support that embryo‐derived rat central nervous system (CNS) reaggregate cultures develop into mature‐like tissues, comparable to in vivo maturation, including the following characteristics: (a) progressive reduction in cell proliferation (reduced anti‐Ki‐67 immunoreactivity), (b) progressive restriction of long neurite growth potential (as explant cultures), and (c) increased and sustained synaptic enzyme (acetylcholine esterase, AChE) activity. The acquisition of mature‐like reaggregate cultures has allowed us to pursue the hypothesis that the physiological integrity of 3D CNS cultures may be monitored by synaptic enzyme activity. To assess this hypothesis, mature‐like reaggregates were exposed to H2O2, glutamate, or amyloid β(1–42); each resulted in diminished AChE activity. H2O2 exposure resulted in nuclear fragmentation. Glutamate and amyloid β(1–42) exposure resulted in acetylcholine content reduction. Simultaneous reduction of AChE activity and acetylcholine content verified diminished cholinergic integrity. This scheme exploiting synapse enzyme activity of mature‐like 3D CNS tissue is therefore applicable to age‐related neuropathology research including in vitro screening of conditions potentially affecting synapse integrity, including the promotion of dementia.

show abstract

A novel unbiased counting method for the quantification of synapses in the mouse brain

Abstract: Graphical abstract

Cited by 10 publications

References 35 publications

Environmental enrichment induces behavioural disturbances in neuropeptide Y knockout mice

Environmental enrichment induces behavioural disturbances in neuropeptide Y knockout mice

Histochemistry on vibratome sections of fish tissue: a comparison of fixation and embedding methods

Characterization of three‐dimensional rat central nervous system culture maturation, with applications to monitor cholinergic integrity

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About