Differentiation of Apical and Basal Dendrites in Pyramidal Cells and Granule Cells in Dissociated Hippocampal Cultures

Abstract

Hippocampal pyramidal cells and dentate granule cells develop morphologically distinct dendritic arbors, yet also share some common features. Both cell types form a long apical dendrite which extends from the apex of the cell soma, while short basal dendrites are developed only in pyramidal cells. Using quantitative morphometric analyses of mouse hippocampal cultures, we evaluated the differences in dendritic arborization patterns between pyramidal and granule cells. Furthermore, we observed and described the final apical dendrite determination during dendritic polarization by time-lapse imaging. Pyramidal and granule cells in culture exhibited similar dendritic patterns with a single principal dendrite and several minor dendrites so that the cell types were not readily distinguished by appearance. While basal dendrites in granule cells are normally degraded by adulthood in vivo, cultured granule cells retained their minor dendrites. Asymmetric growth of a single principal dendrite harboring the Golgi was observed in both cell types soon after the onset of dendritic growth. Time-lapse imaging revealed that up until the second week in culture, final principal dendrite designation was not stabilized, but was frequently replaced by other minor dendrites. Before dendritic polarity was stabilized, the Golgi moved dynamically within the soma and was repeatedly repositioned at newly emerging principal dendrites. Our results suggest that polarized growth of the apical dendrite is regulated by cell intrinsic programs, while regression of basal dendrites requires cue(s) from the extracellular environment in the dentate gyrus. The apical dendrite designation is determined from among multiple growing dendrites of young developing neurons.

Effects of prenatal binge‐like ethanol exposure and maternal stress on postnatal morphological development of hippocampal neurons in rats

“…This is consistent with early reports by other authors (Minkwitz, 1976; Pokorný and Yamamoto, 1981) stating that the number of dendrites is established first and then followed by growth and branching. In contrast to this and consistently with other recent reports (Wu et al, 2015), the number of primary dendrites in DG granule cells was reduced with time (PD10‐PD30).…”

Atmospheric pressure mass spectrometric imaging of live hippocampal tissue slices with subcellular spatial resolution

“…Neurons of the central nervous system exhibit immensely diverse dendritic arbor structure, which is closely related to neuronal connectivity 56 . In the hippocampal formation, pyramidal cells in the cornu ammonis (CA) and granule cells in the dentate gyrus (DG) are known as two principal neuronal types, exhibiting distinct dendritic arbor structures 57 .…”

Nesprins and opposing microtubule motors generate a point force that drives directional nuclear motion in migrating neurons

“…We next examined whether other organelles associated with the nucleus rotate simultaneously. Cultured CGCs were co-transfected with either AcGFP-Golgi or centrin 2 (Cetn2)-GFP together with HP1β-mCherry to visualize the dynamics of the Golgi apparatus and the centrosome, respectively (Wu et al, 2015). The Golgi stacks juxtaposed to the nucleus in the cell soma (Fig.…”