Immunogold detection of L-glutamate and D-serine in small synaptic-like microvesicles in adult hippocampal astrocytes.
Cereb Cortex
; 22(7): 1690-7, 2012 Jul.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-21914633
ABSTRACT
Glutamate and the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor ligand D-serine are putative gliotransmitters. Here, we show by immunogold cytochemistry of the adult hippocampus that glutamate and D-serine accumulate in synaptic-like microvesicles (SLMVs) in the perisynaptic processes of astrocytes. The estimated concentration of fixed glutamate in the astrocytic SLMVs is comparable to that in synaptic vesicles of excitatory nerve terminals (≈ 45 and ≈ 55 mM, respectively), whereas the D-serine level is about 6 mM. The vesicles are organized in small spaced clusters located near the astrocytic plasma membrane. Endoplasmic reticulum is regularly found in close vicinity to SLMVs, suggesting that astrocytes contain functional nanodomains, where a local Ca(2+) increase can trigger release of glutamate and/or D-serine.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Serine
/
Synaptic Vesicles
/
Immunohistochemistry
/
Astrocytes
/
Glutamic Acid
/
Gold
/
Hippocampus
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
Limits:
Animals
Language:
En
Journal:
Cereb Cortex
Journal subject:
CEREBRO
Year:
2012
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Norway