scholarly journals Mitochondrial morphology provides a mechanism for energy buffering at synapses

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guadalupe C. Garcia ◽  
Thomas M. Bartol ◽  
Sébastien Phan ◽  
Eric A. Bushong ◽  
Guy Perkins ◽  
...  

AbstractMitochondria as the main energy suppliers of eukaryotic cells are highly dynamic organelles that fuse, divide and are transported along the cytoskeleton to ensure cellular energy homeostasis. While these processes are well established, substantial evidence indicates that the internal structure is also highly variable in dependence on metabolic conditions. However, a quantitative mechanistic understanding of how mitochondrial morphology affects energetic states is still elusive. To address this question, we here present an agent-based dynamic model using three-dimensional morphologies from electron microscopy tomography which considers the molecular dynamics of the main ATP production components. We apply our modeling approach to mitochondria at the synapse which is the largest energy consumer within the brain. Interestingly, comparing the spatiotemporal simulations with a corresponding space-independent approach, we find minor space dependence when the system relaxes toward equilibrium but a qualitative difference in fluctuating environments. These results suggest that internal mitochondrial morphology is not only optimized for ATP production but also provides a mechanism for energy buffering and may represent a mechanism for cellular robustness.

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Guadalupe C. Garcia ◽  
Thomas M. Bartol ◽  
Sébastien Phan ◽  
Eric A. Bushong ◽  
Guy Perkins ◽  
...  

AbstractMitochondria as the main energy suppliers of eukaryotic cells are highly dynamic organelles that fuse, divide and are transported along the cytoskeleton to ensure cellular energy homeostasis. While these processes are well established, substantial evidence indicates that the internal structure is also highly variable in dependence on metabolic conditions. However, a quantitative mechanistic understanding of how mitochondrial morphology affects energetic states is still elusive. To address this question, we here present an agent-based multiscale model that integrates three-dimensional morphologies from electron microscopy tomography with the molecular dynamics of the main ATP producing components. We apply our modeling approach to mitochondria at the synapse which is the largest energy consumer within the brain. Interestingly, comparing the spatiotemporal simulations with a corresponding space-independent approach, we find minor spatial effects when the system relaxes toward equilibrium but a qualitative difference in fluctuating environments. These results suggest that internal mitochondrial morphology is not only optimized for ATP production but also provides a mechanism for energy buffering and may represent a mechanism for cellular robustness.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Faitg ◽  
Clay Lacefield ◽  
Tracey Davey ◽  
Kathryn White ◽  
Ross Laws ◽  
...  

The brain′s ability to process complex informations relies on the constant supply of energy through aerobic respiration by mitochondria. Neurons contain three anatomically distinct compartments – the soma, dendrites, and projecting axons – which have different energetic and biochemical requirements, as well as different mitochondrial morphologies in cultured systems. Here we apply a quantitative three-dimensional electron microscopy approach to map mitochondrial network morphology and complexity in the mouse brain. We examine three neuronal sub–compartments – the soma, dendrites, myelinated axons – in the dentate gyrus and CA1 of the mouse hippocampus, two subregions with distinct principal cell types and functions. We also establish compartment-specific differences in mitochondrial morphology across these cell types between young and old mice, highlighting differences in age-related morphological recalibrations. Overall, these data define the nature of the neuronal mitochondrial network in the mouse hippocampus, providing a foundation to examine the role of mitochondrial morpho–function in the aging brain.


2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Thornton

Metabolically energetic organs, such as the brain, require a reliable source of ATP, the majority of which is provided by oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondrial matrix. Maintaining mitochondrial integrity is therefore of paramount importance in highly specialized cells such as neurons. Beyond acting as cellular ‘power stations’ and initiators of apoptosis, neuronal mitochondria are highly mobile, transported to pre- and post-synaptic sites for rapid, localized ATP production, serve to buffer physiological and pathological calcium and contribute to dendritic arborization. Given such roles, it is perhaps unsurprising that recent studies implicate AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a cellular energy-sensitive metabolic regulator, in triggering mitochondrial fission, potentially balancing mitochondrial dynamics, biogenesis and mitophagy.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (23) ◽  
pp. 2555-2568 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajeev Taliyan ◽  
Sarathlal K. Chandran ◽  
Violina Kakoty

Neurodegenerative disorders are the most devastating disorder of the nervous system. The pathological basis of neurodegeneration is linked with dysfunctional protein trafficking, mitochondrial stress, environmental factors and aging. With the identification of insulin and insulin receptors in some parts of the brain, it has become evident that certain metabolic conditions associated with insulin dysfunction like Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), dyslipidemia, obesity etc., are also known to contribute to neurodegeneration mainly Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Recently, a member of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) superfamily, FGF21 has proved tremendous efficacy in diseases like diabetes mellitus, obesity and insulin resistance (IR). Increased levels of FGF21 have been reported to exert multiple beneficial effects in metabolic syndrome. FGF21 receptors are present in certain areas of the brain involved in learning and memory. However, despite extensive research, its function as a neuroprotectant in AD remains elusive. FGF21 is a circulating endocrine hormone which is mainly secreted by the liver primarily in fasting conditions. FGF21 exerts its effects after binding to FGFR1 and co-receptor, β-klotho (KLB). It is involved in regulating energy via glucose and lipid metabolism. It is believed that aberrant FGF21 signalling might account for various anomalies like neurodegeneration, cancer, metabolic dysfunction etc. Hence, this review will majorly focus on FGF21 role as a neuroprotectant and potential metabolic regulator. Moreover, we will also review its potential as an emerging candidate for combating metabolic stress induced neurodegenerative abnormalities.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie-Hardy Laura ◽  
Cantaut-Belarif Yasmine ◽  
Pietton Raphaël ◽  
Slimani Lotfi ◽  
Pascal-Moussellard Hugues

AbstractCerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation relies on the beating of motile cilia projecting in the lumen of the brain and spinal cord cavities Mutations in genes involved in cilia motility disturb cerebrospinal fluid circulation and result in scoliosis-like deformities of the spine in juvenile zebrafish. However, these defects in spine alignment have not been validated with clinical criteria used to diagnose adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). The aim of this study was to describe, using orthopaedic criteria the spinal deformities of a zebrafish mutant model of AIS targeting a gene involved in cilia polarity and motility, cfap298tm304. The zebrafish mutant line cfap298tm304, exhibiting alteration of CSF flow due to defective cilia motility, was raised to the juvenile stage. The analysis of mutant animals was based on micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), which was conducted in a QUANTUM FX CALIPER, with a 59 µm-30 mm protocol. 63% of the cfap298tm304 zebrafish analyzed presented a three-dimensional deformity of the spine, that was evolutive during the juvenile phase, more frequent in females, with a right convexity, a rotational component and involving at least one dislocation. We confirm here that cfap298tm304 scoliotic individuals display a typical AIS phenotype, with orthopedic criteria mirroring patient’s diagnosis.


mSphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily G. Sweeney ◽  
Andrew Nishida ◽  
Alexandra Weston ◽  
Maria S. Bañuelos ◽  
Kristin Potter ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTBacteria are often found living in aggregated multicellular communities known as biofilms. Biofilms are three-dimensional structures that confer distinct physical and biological properties to the collective of cells living within them. We used agent-based modeling to explore whether local cellular interactions were sufficient to give rise to global structural features of biofilms. Specifically, we asked whether chemorepulsion from a self-produced quorum-sensing molecule, autoinducer-2 (AI-2), was sufficient to recapitulate biofilm growth and cellular organization observed for biofilms ofHelicobacter pylori, a common bacterial resident of human stomachs. To carry out this modeling, we modified an existing platform, Individual-based Dynamics of Microbial Communities Simulator (iDynoMiCS), to incorporate three-dimensional chemotaxis, planktonic cells that could join or leave the biofilm structure, and cellular production of AI-2. We simulated biofilm growth of previously characterizedH. pyloristrains with various AI-2 production and sensing capacities. Using biologically plausible parameters, we were able to recapitulate both the variation in biofilm mass and cellular distributions observed with these strains. Specifically, the strains that were competent to chemotax away from AI-2 produced smaller and more heterogeneously spaced biofilms, whereas the AI-2 chemotaxis-defective strains produced larger and more homogeneously spaced biofilms. The model also provided new insights into the cellular demographics contributing to the biofilm patterning of each strain. Our analysis supports the idea that cellular interactions at small spatial and temporal scales are sufficient to give rise to larger-scale emergent properties of biofilms.IMPORTANCEMost bacteria exist in aggregated, three-dimensional structures called biofilms. Although biofilms play important ecological roles in natural and engineered settings, they can also pose societal problems, for example, when they grow in plumbing systems or on medical implants. Understanding the processes that promote the growth and disassembly of biofilms could lead to better strategies to manage these structures. We had previously shown thatHelicobacter pyloribacteria are repulsed by high concentrations of a self-produced molecule, AI-2, and thatH. pylorimutants deficient in AI-2 sensing form larger and more homogeneously spaced biofilms. Here, we used computer simulations of biofilm formation to show that localH. pyloribehavior of repulsion from high AI-2 could explain the overall architecture ofH. pyloribiofilms. Our findings demonstrate that it is possible to change global biofilm organization by manipulating local cell behaviors, which suggests that simple strategies targeting cells at local scales could be useful for controlling biofilms in industrial and medical settings.


Author(s):  
Dominic Gascho ◽  
Michael J. Thali ◽  
Rosa M. Martinez ◽  
Stephan A. Bolliger

AbstractThe computed tomography (CT) scan of a 19-year-old man who died from an occipito-frontal gunshot wound presented an impressive radiating fracture line where the entire sagittal suture burst due to the high intracranial pressure that arose from a near-contact shot from a 9 mm bullet fired from a Glock 17 pistol. Photorealistic depictions of the radiating fracture lines along the cranial bones were created using three-dimensional reconstruction methods, such as the novel cinematic rendering technique that simulates the propagation and interaction of light when it passes through volumetric data. Since the brain had collapsed, depiction of soft tissue was insufficient on CT images. An additional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination was performed, which enabled the diagnostic assessment of cerebral injuries.


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