Holler et al. 2020 - *2023 Winner!* Structure and function of a neocortical synapse

Reference:

Holler, S., Köstinger, G., Martin, K. A., Schuhknecht, G. F., & Stratford, K. J. (2021).
Structure and function of a neocortical synapse. Nature, 591(7848), 111-116.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-03134-2

Technique:

Slice electrophysiology of synaptically connected pyramidal neurons with correlated
light and electron microscopy of all putative synaptic contacts between the recorded neurons

System:

Mouse somatosensory cortex slice

Summary:

Uses slice electrophysiology to measure functional connectivity between two
neurons and compares this to electron microscopically determined number and area of synaptic
contacts between same neurons. Finds a linear relationship between total cumulative PSD area
and strength.

Quote:

“We find a linear relationship between synapse size and strength, providing the missing
link in assigning physiological weights to synapses reconstructed from electron microscopy.”