Signaling in dendritic spines and spine microdomains

The specialized morphology of dendritic spines creates an isolated compartment that allows for localized biochemical signaling. Recent studies have revealed complexity in the function of the spine head as a signaling domain and indicate that (1) the spine is functionally subdivided into multiple independent microdomains and (2) not all biochemical signals are equally compartmentalized within the spine. Here we review these findings as well as the developments in fluorescence microscopy that are making possible direct monitoring of signaling within spines and, in the future, within sub-spine microdomains.

► For certain molecules, dendritic spines operate as isolated signaling compartments. ► Other molecules are not confined to spines during synaptic plasticity induction. ► Dendritic spines contain functional subdomains for localized biochemical signaling.