Figure 1.
Synaptic transmission plasticity correlates with astrocytic process remodeling. a, Left, Infrared image showing the recorded pyramidal neuron and stimulation electrode. Right, Alexa Fluor 488-filled neuron (green) and stratum radiatum astrocytes stained with SR101 (red). Scale bar, 40 μm. b, Dendritic spines (green) and astrocytic processes (red). Scale bars: 5 and 2 μm, respectively. c, EPSCs before and 30 min after delivering a HFS protocol. d, Relative EPSC amplitudes in unstimulated (n = 6) and HFS (n = 7) slices. Zero time corresponds to the onset of the HFS protocol. e, Astrocytic process (red) remodeling in the surrounding of excitatory synapses (green) after plasticity induction. Scale bar, 1 μm. f, Average relative changes of displaced processes (n = 6 unstimulated, white bars; n = 28, HFS, red bars). g, h, Displacement amplitude histograms (bin width: 0.05 μm) and corresponding cumulative probability plots showing the percentage and distance traveled by astrocytic processes in unstimulated (n = 5) and HFS-stimulated (n = 22) slices at t = 30 min. i, Time-lapse changes in astrocytic process position after induction of plasticity (n = 5). j, Relative changes of displaced processes in control (n = 7), AP5 (n = 5), TTX (n = 5), MPEP + LY367385 (n = 5), and IP3R2−/− mice (n = 6). Significant differences were established at **p < 0.01.