Single-cell synaptome mapping: its technical basis and applications in critical period plasticity research

Our brain adapts to the environment by optimizing its function through experience-dependent cortical plasticity. This plasticity is transiently enhanced during a developmental stage, known as the “critical period,” and subsequently maintained at lower levels throughout adulthood. Thus, understanding...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Motokazu Uchigashima, Takayasu Mikuni
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2024-12-01
Series:Frontiers in Neural Circuits
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncir.2024.1523614/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850105761713094656
author Motokazu Uchigashima
Motokazu Uchigashima
Takayasu Mikuni
author_facet Motokazu Uchigashima
Motokazu Uchigashima
Takayasu Mikuni
author_sort Motokazu Uchigashima
collection DOAJ
description Our brain adapts to the environment by optimizing its function through experience-dependent cortical plasticity. This plasticity is transiently enhanced during a developmental stage, known as the “critical period,” and subsequently maintained at lower levels throughout adulthood. Thus, understanding the mechanism underlying critical period plasticity is crucial for improving brain adaptability across the lifespan. Critical period plasticity relies on activity-dependent circuit remodeling through anatomical and functional changes at individual synapses. However, it remains challenging to identify the molecular signatures of synapses responsible for critical period plasticity and to understand how these plasticity-related synapses are spatiotemporally organized within a neuron. Recent advances in genetic tools and genome editing methodologies have enabled single-cell endogenous protein labeling in the brain, allowing for comprehensive molecular profiling of individual synapses within a neuron, namely “single-cell synaptome mapping.” This promising approach can facilitate insights into the spatiotemporal organization of synapses that are sparse yet functionally important within single neurons. In this review, we introduce the basics of single-cell synaptome mapping and discuss its methodologies and applications to investigate the synaptic and cellular mechanisms underlying circuit remodeling during the critical period.
format Article
id doaj-art-b6f5fb45a77747f6a0a4ecc58b2c4c03
institution OA Journals
issn 1662-5110
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Neural Circuits
spelling doaj-art-b6f5fb45a77747f6a0a4ecc58b2c4c032025-08-20T02:38:59ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neural Circuits1662-51102024-12-011810.3389/fncir.2024.15236141523614Single-cell synaptome mapping: its technical basis and applications in critical period plasticity researchMotokazu Uchigashima0Motokazu Uchigashima1Takayasu Mikuni2Department of Cellular Neuropathology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, JapanInternational Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Cellular Neuropathology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, JapanOur brain adapts to the environment by optimizing its function through experience-dependent cortical plasticity. This plasticity is transiently enhanced during a developmental stage, known as the “critical period,” and subsequently maintained at lower levels throughout adulthood. Thus, understanding the mechanism underlying critical period plasticity is crucial for improving brain adaptability across the lifespan. Critical period plasticity relies on activity-dependent circuit remodeling through anatomical and functional changes at individual synapses. However, it remains challenging to identify the molecular signatures of synapses responsible for critical period plasticity and to understand how these plasticity-related synapses are spatiotemporally organized within a neuron. Recent advances in genetic tools and genome editing methodologies have enabled single-cell endogenous protein labeling in the brain, allowing for comprehensive molecular profiling of individual synapses within a neuron, namely “single-cell synaptome mapping.” This promising approach can facilitate insights into the spatiotemporal organization of synapses that are sparse yet functionally important within single neurons. In this review, we introduce the basics of single-cell synaptome mapping and discuss its methodologies and applications to investigate the synaptic and cellular mechanisms underlying circuit remodeling during the critical period.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncir.2024.1523614/fullendogenous proteinssynapsesynaptomesingle cellcritical period plasticityintrabody
spellingShingle Motokazu Uchigashima
Motokazu Uchigashima
Takayasu Mikuni
Single-cell synaptome mapping: its technical basis and applications in critical period plasticity research
Frontiers in Neural Circuits
endogenous proteins
synapse
synaptome
single cell
critical period plasticity
intrabody
title Single-cell synaptome mapping: its technical basis and applications in critical period plasticity research
title_full Single-cell synaptome mapping: its technical basis and applications in critical period plasticity research
title_fullStr Single-cell synaptome mapping: its technical basis and applications in critical period plasticity research
title_full_unstemmed Single-cell synaptome mapping: its technical basis and applications in critical period plasticity research
title_short Single-cell synaptome mapping: its technical basis and applications in critical period plasticity research
title_sort single cell synaptome mapping its technical basis and applications in critical period plasticity research
topic endogenous proteins
synapse
synaptome
single cell
critical period plasticity
intrabody
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncir.2024.1523614/full
work_keys_str_mv AT motokazuuchigashima singlecellsynaptomemappingitstechnicalbasisandapplicationsincriticalperiodplasticityresearch
AT motokazuuchigashima singlecellsynaptomemappingitstechnicalbasisandapplicationsincriticalperiodplasticityresearch
AT takayasumikuni singlecellsynaptomemappingitstechnicalbasisandapplicationsincriticalperiodplasticityresearch