Local connections of excitatory neurons to parvalbumin-containing interneurons in cerebral cortex of mice.

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25830034
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Nerve anatomy/Neuropathology
• Research Institution: Kagoshima University (2014); Kawasaki Medical School (2013)
• Principal Investigator: KURAMOTO Eriko 鹿児島大学, 医歯(薬)学総合研究科, 助教 (60467470)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: パルブアルブミン陽性ニューロン / 大脳皮質 / インターニューロン / 興奮性ニューロン / 細胞内記録染色法 / Layer 6 / 皮質-視床投射ニューロン / ラット

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Parvalbumin (PV)-positive neurons are the largest subpopulation of cortical GABAergic interneurons. For understanding the role of PV neurons, it is important to reveal the driver input of the interneurons.
In the present study, we morphologically investigated local excitatory inputs to PV neurons in the cerebral cortex, using the transgenic mice in which the dendrites and cell bodies of PV neurons were specifically labeled with GFP. In cortical slices from the transgenic mice, single pyramidal neurons were intracellularly labeled with biocytin. We reconstructed the axon fibers of pyramidal neurons and counted the number of appositions formed between the axon fibers of each pyramidal neuron and the input sites of PV neurons. The relative frequencies of appositions formed by layer (L) 2-5 and L6 pyramidal neurons were 14% and 23%, respectively, of the entire axon varicosities, suggesting a difference in the local excitatory control of PV neurons between L2-5 and L6 pyramidal neurons.

Free Research Field

神経解剖