Digging Deeper: Advancements in Visualization of Inhibitory Synapses in Neurodegenerative Disorders

Autor: Snježana Radulović, Sowmya Sunkara, Christa Maurer, Gerd Leitinger
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2021
Předmět:
Zdroj: International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Vol 22, Iss 22, p 12470 (2021)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 22221247
1422-0067
1661-6596
DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212470
Popis: Recent research has provided strong evidence that neurodegeneration may develop from an imbalance between synaptic structural components in the brain. Lately, inhibitory synapses communicating via the neurotransmitters GABA or glycine have come to the center of attention. Increasing evidence suggests that imbalance in the structural composition of inhibitory synapses affect deeply the ability of neurons to communicate effectively over synaptic connections. Progressive failure of synaptic plasticity and memory are thus hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases. In order to prove that structural changes at synapses contribute to neurodegeneration, we need to visualize single-molecule interactions at synaptic sites in an exact spatial and time frame. This visualization has been restricted in terms of spatial and temporal resolution. New developments in electron microscopy and super-resolution microscopy have improved spatial and time resolution tremendously, opening up numerous possibilities. Here we critically review current and recently developed methods for high-resolution visualization of inhibitory synapses in the context of neurodegenerative diseases. We present advantages, strengths, weaknesses, and current limitations for selected methods in research, as well as present a future perspective. A range of new options has become available that will soon help understand the involvement of inhibitory synapses in neurodegenerative disorders.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
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