Snapshots in Neuroscience: Cerebellar Purkinje Cells

These images have been selected to showcase the art that neuroscience research can create.

As described by the authors: “This image shows the layered cytoarchitecture of the cerebellum, with Purkinje cells (magenta) forming a single layer and extending elaborate dendritic trees up and into the molecular layer. Punctate granule cell synapses labeled with vGluT1 (green) densely decorate Purkinje cell dendritic spines in the molecular layer, contrasting with the knotted mossy fiber rosettes, which also express vGluT1, in the granule cell layer, below. Cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1)-positive axons (blue) of basket cell interneurons weave pinceau synapses around Purkinje cell axon hillocks. CB1 is also expressed in granule cell presynaptic terminals, co-localizing with vGluT1 in the molecular layer.

“This image relates to our recent study on how deleting the enzyme Daglα in Purkinje cells affects cerebellar endocannabinoid signaling, anatomy, short-term synaptic plasticity, and behavior. From this study, we gained insights into how reduced endocannabinoid signaling might reshape cerebellar activity and contribute to altered social behavior and anxiety.

“Sagittal sections of the mouse cerebellar vermis were immunolabeled with CB1 and vGluT1 antibodies, with Purkinje cells expressing tdTomato. High-resolution confocal stacks were acquired with a 60x oil objective on a Nikon A1 confocal microscope and used for volumetric analysis of synaptic localization of CB1 in Daglα knockout mice. This image shows a maximum-intensity projection from one such stack.”

Captured on a laser scanning Nikon A1 confocal microscope, this sagittal section of mouse cerebellar vermis (lobe VII) shows Purkinje cells (magenta, tdTomato), and immunofluorescence of CB1 (blue), and vGluT1 (green). Image credit: Kathleen McCoy.

Read the full article:

Deletion of Endocannabinoid Synthesizing Enzyme DAGLα in Pcp2-Positive Cerebellar Purkinje Cells Decreases Depolarization-Induced Short–Term Synaptic Plasticity, Reduces Social Preference, and Heightens Anxiety
Gabriella Smith, Kathleen McCoy, Gonzalo Viana Di Prisco, Alexander Kuklish, Emma Grant, Mayil Bhat, Sachin Patel, Ken Mackie, Brady Atwood, and Anna Kalinovsky