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Novel Molecular Specializations of the Pinceau in Rat Cerebellum as Revealed by Correlated Confocal Microscopy and Electron Tomography

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 July 2020

Marketta Bobik ,
F. Capani ,
M. E. Martone  and
M. Ellisman
Marketta Bobik
Affiliation:
National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research, University of California San Diego, Department of Neurosciences, La Jolla, CA, 92093.
F. Capani
Affiliation:
National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research, University of California San Diego, Department of Neurosciences, La Jolla, CA, 92093.
M. E. Martone
Affiliation:
National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research, University of California San Diego, Department of Neurosciences, La Jolla, CA, 92093.
M. Ellisman
Affiliation:
National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research, University of California San Diego, Department of Neurosciences, La Jolla, CA, 92093.
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Abstract

The pinceau is a cerebellar structure formed by GABA-ergic descending basket cell axonal terminals converging on the initial axonal segment of Purkinje cell. Although it exerts a powerful inhibitory influence on the output of the cerebellar cortex, the exact ultrastructural organization and function of this structure are not understood. The unique morphology of the pinceau lies in several elements: lack of synaptic contacts between basket cell terminals and the initial axonal segment, the absence of postsynaptic densities, and heavy ensheathment of the initial segment with glial processes, making astrocytes the only intervening cellular element between the two types of axonal structures. Several plasticity related proteins in this area have been previously characterized by immunocytochemistry. Those include nitric oxide synthase, PSD95, GABA transporters, and several voltage gated potassium channel subunits. We are using a combination of confocal and electron microscopy, correlated photooxidation, EM and tomography to reveal the ultrastructural distribution of novel proteins and their relationships to morphological compartments in the pinceau.

We describe here Kv3.2, a recently discovered member of the Shaw-like subfamily of potassium channels, and the correlated distribution of other proteins described below. Pre-embedding immunolabeling, electron microscopy and tomography showed that Kv3.2 was selectively localized to basket cell axons.

Type
Electron Tomography: Recent Advances and Applications (Organized by M. Marko)
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 7 , Issue S2: Proceedings: Microscopy & Microanalysis 2001, Microscopy Society of America 59th Annual Meeting, Microbeam Analysis Society 35th Annual Meeting, Long Beach, California August 5-9, 2001 , August 2001 , pp. 96 - 97
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2001

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References

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4. This work was supported by NIH grants RR04050, DC03192, NS14718, and NS30989.Google Scholar