User:Depaloj/Spine Apparatus project proposal

The following is the BI 481 Wikipedia project proposal for the Spine Apparatus, created by Paul Nucero, Rachel Newmiller, and Joseph DePalo

History

 * Discovered in 1959 by E. G. Gray
 * Study of the SA was relatively slow due to the lack of a marker for live SA
 * Sometimes called an enigmatic organelle
 * In a 1997 study of the three-dimensional structure of dendritic spines, Spacek and Harris revealed a continuation of the dendritic spine smooth endoplasmic reticulum into the SA
 * Work at the electron microscope level has been critical in study of the SA and continues to be important as researchers focus on the spine apparatus and its role in learning

Relevance

 * It has been suggested that the spine apparatus has a direct effect on learning and memory. The spine apparatus has a role in long-term potentiation (LTP) and synaptic pruning.
 * The spine apparatus (neuronal organelle) plays a central role in the regulation of dendritic spine calcium levels and protein synthesis. Spatial learning and memory formation can therefore be directly attributed to the role of the spinal apparatus as it is a main reason for synaptic strength and information storage.

Morphology

 * Occurs in 10-15% of mature hippocampal spines
 * Associated with mushroom-shaped spines (more than 80% of mushroom shaped spines have SA)
 * Found in adult rodent brain
 * Not found in the neurons of two-week-old rodents
 * Shape: simple and tubular or elaborate laminar arrangements of saccules
 * Membrane is relatively thin

Function

 * Heavily involved with calcium signaling inside the spine
 * Calcium gets released through ion channels on the ER
 * IP3 and ryanodine protein receptors involved in this release
 * Important for spatial learning, long-term potentiation, and synaptic plasticity

Plasticity

 * Spine is site of synaptic plasticity
 * Actin-associated protein synaptopodin works with spine apparatus on learning and memory
 * Both these components regulate synaptic plasticity and have a critical role within formation of neuronal links

Division of Workload
Each group member will be assigned a particular section to develop and write. In order to improve communication, we have made a shared folder on Google Documents containing information related to this project (e.g., outlines, references/citations). We will also meet regularly (weekly or biweekly) to discuss our progress, review each other’s work, and address any issues (technical or otherwise) that may arise. Setting deadlines for the complete of sections and sub-sections at these meetings will help us to stay on track and allow us to break down the project into more manageable portions.