Journal article
Developmental and age-related synapse elimination is mediated by glial Croquemort
Neuron (Cambridge, Mass.), Vol.114(19), pp.3632-3645.e5
06/08/2026
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2026.04.046
PMCID: PMC13394363
PMID: 42259289
Abstract
Neurons and glia work together to dynamically regulate neural circuit assembly and maintenance. In this study, we show that Drosophila exhibit large-scale synapse formation and elimination as part of normal CNS circuit maturation and that glia use conserved molecules to regulate these processes. Using a high-throughput ELISA-based in vivo screening assay, we identify new glial genes that regulate synapse numbers in Drosophila in vivo, including the scavenger receptor ortholog Croquemort (Crq). Crq acts as an essential regulator of glial-dependent synapse elimination during development, with glial Crq loss leading to excess CNS synapses and progressive seizure susceptibility in adults. Loss of Crq in glia also prevents age-related synaptic, but not neuronal, loss in the adult brain. This work provides new insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie synapse development and maintenance across the lifespan and identifies glial Crq as a key regulator of these processes.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Developmental and age-related synapse elimination is mediated by glial Croquemort
- Creators
- Taylor R Jay - Oregon Health & Science UniversityYunsik Kang - Oregon Health & Science UniversityVictor Ouellet-Massicotte - Oregon Health & Science UniversityMariel Kristine B Micael - Oregon Health & Science UniversityVictoria L Kacouros-Perkins - Oregon Health & Science UniversityJiakun Chen - Oregon Health & Science UniversityAmy Sheehan - Oregon Health & Science UniversityMarc R Freeman - Oregon Health & Science University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Neuron (Cambridge, Mass.), Vol.114(19), pp.3632-3645.e5
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.neuron.2026.04.046
- PMID
- 42259289
- PMCID
- PMC13394363
- NLM abbreviation
- Neuron
- ISSN
- 0896-6273
- eISSN
- 1097-4199
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Grant note
- NIH: F32NS117647, K99NS133298, K99NS126642, R37-NS053538, RO1-NS112215 Bloomington (NIH): P40OD018537
We thank the entire Freeman lab for their advice and support that has shaped this work. We thank Cody Call for developing the image analysis workflow to quantify Brp puncta number. This study was supported by NIH grants F32NS117647 and K99NS133298 to T.R.J., K99NS126642 to Y.K., and R37-NS053538 and RO1-NS112215 to M.R.F. We thank the Bloomington (NIH P40OD018537) and Vienna Drosophila Stock Centers for the fly stocks used in this work.
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 06/08/2026
- Academic Unit
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Neuroscience and Pharmacology
- Record Identifier
- 9985173064802771
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