Abstract
Towards single-cell real-time imaging of energy metabolism in the brain
Highlights
E.g., the diameter of a neuronal soma, diffusion is highly efficient, mixing molecules much faster than the turnover rates of the transporters and enzymes that produce them (Barros and Martinez, 2007). This means that astrocytes and neuronal somata are essentially homogenous in terms of glucose, lactate, ATP and other metabolites, and that neighboring postsynaptic spines are metabolically coupled
There will be no effective spatial averaging of a metabolic load over distances over 1 mm, which sets the maximum size for a metabolic unit in the brain tissue and the spatial resolution of micrometer probes inserted in the interstitium
The fluctuations in metabolic flux that accompany neuronal activity and the nature of the averaging mechanisms that explain large scale constancy of metabolic flux are almost invisible to current techniques, and as a result we know precious little of how the energy load is handled by the brain tissue
Summary
Within seconds of the start signal, the athletes’ hearts have increased their metabolic rate by five-fold and even stronger stimulations may be measured in the muscles of their legs. If every third neuron in a given area of the striatum were active during the sprint, the rise in regional energy demand would be reduced to more manageable 10-fold.
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