Publication Date
1-1-2025
Journal
Nature
DOI
10.1038/s41586-024-08170-w
PMID
39506118
PMCID
PMC11924044
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
5-1-2025
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Author MSS
Abstract
The physical manifestations of memory formation and recall are fundamental questions that remain unresolved1. At the cellular level, ensembles of neurons called engrams are activated by learning events and control memory recall1-5. Astrocytes are in close proximity to neurons and engage in a range of activities that support neurotransmission and circuit plasticity6-10. Moreover, astrocytes exhibit experience-dependent plasticity11-13; however whether specific ensembles of astrocytes participate in memory recall remains obscure. Here we show that learning events induce c-Fos expression in a subset of hippocampal astrocytes, which subsequently regulates hippocampal circuit function. Intersectional, c-Fos based labeling of astrocyte ensembles after learning events reveals that they are closely affiliated with engram neurons, while re-activation of these astrocyte ensembles stimulates memory recall. At the molecular level, learning-associated astrocyte ensembles exhibit elevated expression of NFIA and its selective deletion from this population suppresses memory recall. Together, our studies identify learning-associated astrocyte ensembles as a new form of plasticity that is sufficient to provoke memory recall, while implicating astrocytes as an active component of the engram.
Keywords
Animals, Astrocytes, Mice, Mental Recall, Male, Hippocampus, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos, Learning, Neurons, Neuronal Plasticity, Female, Mice, Inbred C57BL
Published Open-Access
yes
Recommended Citation
Williamson, Michael R; Kwon, Wookbong; Woo, Junsung; et al., "Learning-Associated Astrocyte Ensembles Regulate Memory Recall" (2025). Faculty and Staff Publications. 5371.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/baylor_docs/5371