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Glutamatergic transmission and plasticity between olfactory bulb mitral cells
Diogo O Pimentel1, Troy W Margrie
1The Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, UK.
The Journal of Physiology
|February 16, 2008
Summary
Mitral cells in the olfactory bulb communicate via chemical lateral excitation (LE), not just self-excitation. This novel pathway is modulated by neural activity, suggesting a role in olfactory plasticity.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Olfactory System Research
- Cellular Communication
Background:
- Mitral cells in the olfactory bulb form functional networks projecting to glomeruli.
- Self-excitation (SE) via dendritic gap junctions is considered the primary lateral transmission within mitral cell networks.
- Mitral cells release vesicular glutamate from their apical tuft.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate alternative forms of lateral transmission between mitral cells.
- To characterize the mechanisms and properties of chemical lateral excitation (LE) between mitral cells.
- To explore the modulatory effects of neural activity on mitral cell communication.
Main Methods:
- Simultaneous whole-cell recordings from pairs of mitral cells.
- Electrophysiological analysis of synaptic transmission.
- Investigation of receptor subtypes involved in LE.
- Assessment of activity-dependent modulation of LE.
Main Results:
- Identified a direct chemical lateral excitation (LE) pathway for mitral cell-mitral cell communication.
- Demonstrated that LE efficacy is variable and mediated by calcium-impermeable AMPA receptors.
- Showed that LE strength is homeostatically modulated by sniffing-like presynaptic activity.
- Observed that these modulatory changes persist for minutes.
Conclusions:
- Chemical LE represents a significant mode of mitral cell communication.
- Activity-dependent modulation of LE suggests a mechanism for olfactory plasticity.
- Mitral cell interactions via LE may contribute to receptive field modulation in the olfactory system.
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