Figure 5. Translational control of experience-dependent structural plasticity.

(a) Example diolistic labeling of a type I IMM neuron (63X), used to analyze the number and the shape of dendritic spines in MNM and IMM after training. (b) Representative confocal images of dendritic segments of IMM cells from untrained animals (63X, zoom 3X). (c) Schematic length (L) and shape criteria used for spine classification. (d) Trained chickens showed an increased number of mushroom spines (red) and a decrease in thin spines (blue) in MNM. The increase in mushroom spines induced by training was blocked by Sal003. Samples size: untrained (four chickens, 12 cells, 45 dendrites); imprinted (five chickens, 15 cells, 50 dendrites); Sal003 (five chickens, 15 cells, 55 dendrites). (e) Trained chickens showed an increase in mushroom spines (red) and a decrease in thin spines (blue) in IMM. In contrast to the changes in MNM, the increase in mushroom spines was not blocked by Sal003. Sample sizes: untrained (four chickens, 11 cells, 35 dendrites); imprinted (four chickens, 10 cells, 33 dendrites); Sal003 (five chickens, 16 cells, 48 dendrites). Total number of spines did not show significant differences across groups in either region. Bar plots show mean and SEM; different letters inside bars indicate statistically significant differences (p<0.05) between groups from Kruskal-Wallis test, Dunn’s multiple comparisons test.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.17197.013