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Astrocytes close the mouse critical period for visual plasticity
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Edité par CCSD ; American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) -
International audience. Brain postnatal development is characterized by critical periods of experience-dependent remodeling of neuronal circuits. Failure to end these periods results in neurodevelopmental disorders. The cellular processes defining critical-period timing remain unclear. Here, we show that in the mouse visual cortex, astrocytes control critical-period closure. We uncover the underlying pathway, which involves astrocytic regulation of the extracellular matrix, allowing interneuron maturation. Unconventional astrocyte connexin signaling hinders expression of extracellular matrix–degrading enzyme matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) through RhoA–guanosine triphosphatase activation. Thus, astrocytes not only influence the activity of single synapses but also are key elements in the experience-dependent wiring of brain circuits.
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