Analysis of the functional development of clonally-related neurons in the visual cortex

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26710002
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Neurophysiology / General neuroscience
• Research Institution: Kyoto University (2015-2017); Kyushu University (2014)
• Principal Investigator: Ohtsuki Gen 京都大学, 白眉センター, 特定准教授 (60723278)
• Research Collaborator: OHKI Kenichi 東京大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 教授
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: クローン細胞 / 遺伝子改変マウス / 大脳皮質 / 一次視覚野 / 生体下Ca2+イメージング / 細胞位置機能解析 / 機能発達

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Orientation preference among clonally-related cells from same cell-lineage is more similar than among unrelated cells in the rodents’ primary visual cortex. While the similarity of orientation selectivity among the clonally-related neurons is moderate in adult mice, it could be stronger at immature stage with less visual experiences. Here, by using the combination of in vivo two-photon Ca2+ imaging and a cell-lineage tracing with transgenic mice, we examined visual responses of clonally-related neurons, progeny derived from a single cortical progenitor cell, in the course of maturation from eye opening to mature state. We found that while clonally-related cells are more similar in orientation preference through development, the functional similarity was higher in juvenile. Comparison of the similarity in vertically aligned cells revealed the functional similarity in narrower column is especially high in younger cortex.

Free Research Field

神経生理学、脳機能生理学、神経免疫学