Dendrites of cerebellar granule cells correctly recognize their target axons for synaptogenesis in vitro.

ABSTRACT: Neural circuits are generated by precisely ordered synaptic connections among neurons, and this process is thought to rely on the ability of neurons to recognize specific partners. However, it is also known that neurons promiscuously form synapses with nonspecific partners, in particular when cultured in vitro, causing controversies about neural recognition mechanisms. Here we reexamined whether neurons can or cannot select particular partners in vitro. In the cerebellum, granule cell (GC) dendrites form synaptic connections specifically with mossy fibers, but not with climbing fibers. We cocultured GC neurons with pontine or inferior olivary axons, the major sources for mossy and climbing fibers, respectively, as well as with hippocampal axons as a control. The GC neurons formed synapses

SUBMITTER: Ito S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2722294 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature