2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Functional connectomics analysis of synaptic transmission using optogenetics
| Project/Area Number |
23650208
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Research Field |
Neurophysiology and muscle physiology
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| Research Institution | Jikei University School of Medicine |
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Principal Investigator |
KATO Fusao 東京慈恵会医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (20169519)
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| Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha) |
WATABE M.ayako 東京慈恵会医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (00334277)
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| Research Collaborator |
TAKAHASHI Yukari 東京慈恵会医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (20613764)
SUGIMURA Yae 東京慈恵会医科大学, 大学院・日本学術振興会, 特別研究員
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| Project Period (FY) |
2011 – 2013
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| Keywords | 光脳科学 / 神経回路 / 神経回路 / 光遺伝学 / 脳 / 扁桃体 / 腕傍核 / シナプス |
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| Research Abstract |
The aim was to develop a method applicable to slice-based analysis of synaptic transmission using optogenetics that can determine the origin of fibers being stimulated. Five to eight weeks after transfecting adeno-associated virus vectors for ChR2 expression into the lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPB) in the dorsal pons of rats, blue light pulses robustly triggered CNQX-sensitive EPSCs in the neurons in the capsular part of the central amygdala recorded in acute slices of distinct angles (coronal and horizontal). These light-evoked EPSCs (leEPSCs) were blocked by TTX but re-appeared by addition of 4-AP, suggesting monosynaptic innervation, and was followed by a large and long-lasting IPSC, indicative of the presence of polysynaptic feed-forward inhibition. This "functional connectomics" technique has advantages in identifying the synaptic properties of long-distance connections, which has been otherwise almost impossible in the conventional electrophysiology setups.
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