Dendritic spines: convergence of theory and experiment.

Dendritic spines, small protrusions covering the surface of many neurons, have fascinated anatomists ever since Ramon y Cajal first described them at the turn of the century. Until recently, their small size has precluded direct measurement of their functional properties. Nevertheless,spines have long been investigated from a theoretical point of view. Experimental and computational studies now seem to be converging toward a common viewpoint - that spines allow biochemical, rather than electrical,compartmentalization within neurons.