Term Name: | dendritic spine |
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Synonyms: | branched dendritic spine, dendrite spine, mushroom dendritic spine, sessile dendritic spine, stubby dendritic spine, thin dendritic spine |
Definition: | A small, membranous protrusion from a dendrite that forms a postsynaptic compartment, typically receiving input from a single presynapse. They function as partially isolated biochemical and an electrical compartments. Spine morphology is variable:they can be thin, stubby, mushroom, or branched, with a continuum of intermediate morphologies. They typically terminate in a bulb shape, linked to the dendritic shaft by a restriction. Spine remodeling is though to be involved in synaptic plasticity. |
Ontology: | GO: Cellular Component [GO:0043197] QuickGO AmiGO |