Actin Dynamics in Synaptic Plasticity
Summary
The actin cytoskeleton underpins the capacity of excitatory synapses to undergo sustained modifications in strength and structure. Within dendritic spines—the primary postsynaptic compartments—actin filaments assemble, disassemble and reorganise in precise temporal coordination with synaptic activity. High-frequency stimulation that induces long-term potentiation (LTP) triggers rapid actin polymerisation and spine enlargement, whereas pathways leading to long-term depression (LTD) often engage actin-severing and depolymerisation to reshape the spine. This dynamic equilibrium is orchestrated by an array of actin-binding proteins, including nucleators that seed new filaments and severing agents that prune existing networks. Upstream signalling cascades, notably those downstream of glutamate receptors, converge on small GTPases and kinases to regulate actin-remodelling machinery. Through these coordinated processes, actin dynamics convert transient receptor activation into enduring morphological and functional changes, thereby encoding aspects of learning, memory and circuit refinement. Perturbations in actin-remodelling machinery are implicated in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, underscoring the clinical relevance of deciphering these pathways.
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Actin Dynamics in Synaptic Plasticity publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in actin dynamics in synaptic plasticity across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Actin cytoskeleton: network of filamentous actin that provides structural support and drives morphological changes in neurons.
Dendritic spine: small protrusion on a neuron's dendrite serving as the postsynaptic site for excitatory synapses.
Long-term potentiation (LTP): persistent strengthening of synaptic transmission following high-frequency activity.
Cofilin: actin-binding protein that promotes filament severing and turnover.
Arp2/3 complex: protein assembly that nucleates branched actin filaments to expand the cytoskeletal network.
References
- STED microscopy reveals dendrite-specificity of spines in turtle cortex. Progress in Neurobiology (2023).
- PI3K couples long-term synaptic potentiation with cofilin recruitment and actin polymerization in dendritic spines via its regulatory subunit p85α. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences (2024).
- Sculpting the dendritic landscape: Actin, microtubules, and the art of arborization. Current Opinion in Cell Biology (2023).
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