Miniature neurotransmission stabilizes synaptic function via tonic suppression of local dendritic protein synthesis.

Activity deprivation in neurons induces a slow compensatory scaling up of synaptic strength, reflecting a homeostatic mechanism for stabilizing neuronal activity. Prior studies have focused on the loss of action potential (AP) driven neurotransmission in synaptic homeostasis. Here, we show that the miniature synaptic transmission that persists during AP blockade profoundly shapes the time course and mechanism of homeostatic scaling.

Corneal keratocytes retain neural crest progenitor cell properties.

Corneal keratocytes have a remarkable ability to heal the cornea throughout life. Given their developmental origin from the cranial neural crest, we asked whether this regenerative ability was related to the stem cell-like properties of their neural crest precursors. To this end, we challenged corneal stromal keratocytes by injecting them into a new environment along cranial neural crest migratory pathways.