Revealing nanoscale defects in the developmental trajectory of dendritic spine morphogenesis in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome by stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy (CAT#: STEM-MIT-0355-LJX)

Introduction

Dendritic spines are basic units of neuronal information processing and their structure is closely reflected in their function. Defects in synaptic development are common in neurodevelopmental disorders, making detailed knowledge of age-dependent changes in spine morphology essential for understanding disease mechanisms. However, little is known about the functionally important fine-morphological structures, such as spine necks, due to the limited spatial resolution of conventional light microscopy. Using stimulated emission depletion microscopy (STED), the service examined spine morphology at the nanoscale during normal development in mice, and tested the hypothesis that it is impaired in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome (FXS).