Research Project
Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
To understand how a neural circuit regulates a certain behavior, we are focusing on the simple pharyngeal nervous system of C. elegans constituted by 20 neurons of 14 types. We have manipulated the activity of subsets of neurons in free-moving worms by using optogenetic tools. We have found that silencing of several types neurons including M2 neurons decreased the frequency of pumping, sometimes resulting in complete arrest of pumping. Our preliminary study also showed that activation of a certain neuron suppressed pumping. Although a previous cell ablation study showed that MCs are the only neurons in the pharynx controlling the frequency of the pharyngeal pumping movement, our results suggest that multiple cell types are involved in the regulation of pumping frequency.
All 2014 2013 Other
All Journal Article (5 results) (of which Peer Reviewed: 5 results, Open Access: 1 results) Presentation (5 results)
Methods
Volume: 68 Issue: 3 Pages: 425-430
10.1016/j.ymeth.2014.02.030
PLoS ONE
Volume: 9(1) Issue: 1 Pages: e85783-e85783
10.1371/journal.pone.0085783
Growth and Differentiation
Volume: 55(4) Issue: 4 Pages: 454-61
10.1111/dgd.12061
Front. Neural Circuits
Volume: 7 Pages: 187-187
10.3389/fncir.2013.00187
J. Biol. Chem.
Volume: 288 Issue: 28 Pages: 20624-20632
10.1074/jbc.m113.475533
