Neurones embryonnaires d’hippocampe de cerveau de rat

Embryonic hippocampal neurons from the brain of a rat cultured for 14 days, observed using a fluorescence microscope. The neuron extensions are marked in green using the fluorescent protein GFP, with the mitochondria (cell electrical centres) shown in red using the fluorescent protein MitoDsRed and the presynaptic compartment in blue (VGLUT1). The mitochondria form a more or less interconnected network. Their size varies depending on the neuronal compartment and the physiological and pathological context. For example, in dominant optic atrophy, a mitochondrial disease, their size is altered as well as their distribution up to the synapses. In neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, on the other hand, the morphology and functioning of the mitochondria are defective. Using different treatments adapted to the pathology, research scientists aim to mitigate neuronal malfunctions by restoring a functional mitochondrial system.