Browsing by Author "Alfaro, Ivan E."

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    Wingless-type family member 5A (Wnt-5a) stimulates synaptic differentiation and function of glutamatergic synapses
    (NATL ACAD SCIENCES, 2010) Varela Nallar, Lorena; Alfaro, Ivan E.; Serrano, Felipe G.; Parodi, Jorge; Inestrosa, Nibaldo C.
    Growing evidence indicates that Wingless-type (Wnt) signaling plays an important role in the maturation of the central nervous system. We report here that Wingless-type family member 5A (Wnt-5a) is expressed early in development and stimulates dendrite spine morphogenesis, inducing de novo formation of spines and increasing the size of the preexisting ones in hippocampal neurons. Wnt-5a increased intracellular calcium concentration in dendritic processes and the amplitude of NMDA spontaneous miniature currents. Acute application of Wnt-5a increased the amplitude of field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSP) in hippocampal slices, an effect that was prevented by calcium-channel blockers. The physiological relevance of our findings is supported by studies showing that Wnt scavengers decreased spine density, miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents, and fEPSP amplitude. We conclude that Wnt-5a stimulates different aspects of synaptic differentiation and plasticity in the mammalian central nervous system.