Analysis of the structure of axonal varicosities focusing on active zone proteins

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K16647
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Basic / Social brain science
• Research Institution: University of Yamanashi
• Principal Investigator: HAMADA Shun 山梨大学, 大学院総合研究部, 助教 (90755464)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: バリコシティー / プレシナプス / アクティブゾーン / マイクロ流体デバイス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

From morphological analysis of primary cultured hippocampal neurons derived from presynaptic active zone protein CAST, We found that the number and size of varicosities were increased by CAST deletion. Then, we attempted to recover the change of morphology of varicosities in CAST deleted neurons by the infection of the CAST expressing virus. But, there were some unsuitable problems in our experimental environment. To solve these problems, we developed smaller micro fluid device to separate axons from other neuronal cell bodies and dendrites than existing commercial products. By using this device, it was possible to split axons from cell bodies, but difficult to induce the exogenous gene expression.
To investigate the efficacy of neurotransmission in individual varicosities, ChR2 was expressed in cultured neurons. Then, we undertook to measure the synaptic responses from non-transfected neurons with stimulating ChR2 expressed axon terminals.

Free Research Field

神経科学