Purkinje cell dendrites grow in alignment with Bergmann glia

Abstract

The pattern of growth of Purkinje cell dendrites has been analyzed and related to their interactions with Bergmann glial radial processes. In cerebellar slice cultures from mice expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) promoter, Purkinje cells were transfected and imaged with two-photon microscopy over 2 days. We report that while the Purkinje cell dendritic tree grows, individual dendrites increase or decrease in length. Importantly, we demonstrate that vertical growth of Purkinje cell dendrites occurs primarily in alignment with radial glial processes. These findings suggest that radial glial processes provide a structural substrate for the directional growth of Purkinje cell dendrites, thus influencing the shape of the dendritic tree.