optogenetic analsysis of single neurons in vivo

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25560424
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Basic / Social brain science
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: TAKAGI Shin 名古屋大学, 理学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (90171420)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 光遺伝学 / 運動制御

Outline of Final Research Achievements

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.

Free Research Field

神経生物学