TY  - JOUR
AU  - Rodriguez-Moreno, Javier
AU  - Rollenhagen, Astrid
AU  - Arlandis, Jaime
AU  - Santuy, Andrea
AU  - Merchan-Pérez, Angel
AU  - Felipe, Javier de
AU  - Lübke, Joachim
AU  - Clasca, Francisco
TI  - Quantitative 3D ultrastructure of synaptic boutons from the ‘lemniscal’ ventral posteromedial thalamic nucleus in mouse barrel cortex
JO  - Cerebral cortex
VL  -  
SN  - 1047-3211
CY  - Oxford
PB  - Oxford Univ. Press
M1  - FZJ-2017-05259
SP  -  1-17
PY  - 2017
N1  -  Published: 28 July 2017
AB  - Thalamocortical synapses from “lemniscal” neurons of the dorsomedial portion of the rodent ventral posteromedial nucleus (VPMdm) are able to induce with remarkable efficacy, despite their relative low numbers, the firing of primary somatosensory cortex (S1) layer 4 (L4) neurons. To which extent this high efficacy depends on structural synaptic features remains unclear. Using both serial transmission (TEM) and focused ion beam milling scanning electron microscopy (FIB/SEM), we 3D-reconstructed and quantitatively analyzed anterogradely labeled VPMdm axons in L4 of adult mouse S1. All VPMdm synapses are asymmetric. Virtually all are established by axonal boutons, 53% of which contact multiple (2–4) elements (overall synapse/bouton ratio = 1.6). Most boutons are large (mean 0.47 μm3), and contain 1–3 mitochondria. Vesicle pools and postsynaptic density (PSD) surface areas are large compared to others in rodent cortex. Most PSDs are complex. Most synapses (83%) are established on dendritic spine heads. Furthermore, 15% of the postsynaptic spines receive a second, symmetric synapse. In addition, 13% of the spine heads have a large protrusion inserted into a membrane pouch of the VPMdm bouton. The unusual combination of structural features in VPMdm synapses is likely to contribute significantly to the high efficacy, strength, and plasticity of these thalamocortical synapses.
LB  - PUB:(DE-HGF)16
C6  - pmid:28968773
UR  - <Go to ISI:>//WOS:000443545600007
DO  - DOI:10.1093/cercor/bhx187
UR  - https://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/836136
ER  -