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@INPROCEEDINGS{Yakoubi:834210,
author = {Yakoubi, Rachida and Rollenhagen, Astrid and Marec, von
Lehe and Kurt, Sätzler and Lübke, Joachim},
title = {{S}ynaptic organization in layer 5 of the human temporal
lobe: {A} quantitative electron microscopic analysis},
reportid = {FZJ-2017-04193},
year = {2016},
abstract = {Synapses are the key elements for signal transduction and
plasticity in the brain, thus controlling the induction,
maintenance and termination of signal transduction in any
given neuronal microcircuit.Despite a relatively large
number of publications on structural and functional aspects
of various synapses in the central nervous system of
different animal species, very little is known about these
structures in humans, in particular about their quantitative
geometry. Hence, synapses in cortical layer 5 - the main
output station of the neocortex and a recipient layer of
thalamocortical afferents of the human temporal lobe - were
investigated using serial ultrathin sectioning and digital
electron microscopic images. This was followed by three
dimensional (3D) volume reconstructions leading in the
generation of quantitative 3D-models of synapses. We focused
on structural parameters that are the most critical factors
underlying synaptic transmission and plasticity, such as the
shape, size, number, and distribution of active zones (AZs,
functional transmitter release sites) as well as the
organization and size of the three pools of synaptic
vesicles, namely the readily releasable, the recycling and
reserve pool. In addition, immunohistochemistry against
glutamine synthetase was carried out to investigate the
structural relationship of synapses and astrocytes and thus
their contribution to synaptic transmission and plasticity.A
total of 152 synaptic boutons and their target structures
were completely analyzed. The majority were established
either on dendritic spines $(~76\%)$ the remainder on
shafts. Synaptic boutons were highly variable in both shape
and size (6.20±0.77 μm2; 0.42±0.07 μm3, ranging from
0.46 to 27.33 μm2; 0.10 to 1.93 μm3) with a skew to
middle-sized boutons. Several mitochondria (0-26) were found
in the presynaptic bouton constituting $~6\%$ of the total
volume. The majority of boutons $(~88\%)$ had a single pre-
(0.452±0.358 µm2; 0.003±0,001 μm3) and postsynaptic
densities (0.405±0.100 μm2; 0.01±0.01 μm3), sometimes
perforated. The mean total pool size of synaptic vesicles
was 1580.19±255.19 (ranging from 142 to 8413) with a mean
diameter of 31.99±0.87 nm. Strikingly, no correlation was
found between the size of the boutons with that of
mitochondria, AZs and the pool of vesicles. Synaptic
complexes were surrounded by a dense network of fine
astrocytic processes reaching the synaptic cleft, thus
regulating the temporal and spatial glutamate
concentration.The quantitative 3D-models of synapses will
lead to an improved understanding of the function of
synapses in cortical networks in humans.},
month = {Nov},
date = {2016-11-12},
organization = {SfN's 46th annual meeting, San Diego
(USA), 12 Nov 2016 - 16 Nov 2016},
subtyp = {Other},
cin = {INM-2 / JARA-BRAIN},
cid = {I:(DE-Juel1)INM-2-20090406 / $I:(DE-82)080010_20140620$},
pnm = {571 - Connectivity and Activity (POF3-571)},
pid = {G:(DE-HGF)POF3-571},
typ = {PUB:(DE-HGF)24},
url = {https://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/834210},
}