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Homochronic Transplantation of Interneuron Precursors into Early Postnatal Mouse Brains

Homochronic Transplantation of Interneuron Precursors into Early Postnatal Mouse Brains

Published on: June 8, 2018

"Small axonless neurons": postnatally generated neocortical interneurons with delayed functional maturation.

Corentin Le Magueresse¹, Julieta Alfonso, Konstantin Khodosevich

¹Department of Clinical Neurobiology, Heidelberg University Medical Center, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany.

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience

|November 18, 2011

Summary

Newly discovered cortical interneurons, termed "small axonless neurons," are generated postnatally and communicate via unique dendrodendritic synapses. Their numbers increase with odor enrichment, suggesting a role in olfactory processing.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Developmental Biology
Cellular Biology

Background:

Cortical GABAergic interneurons are primarily generated in the ventral telencephalon during embryonic development.
Recent findings suggest a subset of cortical interneurons originate from the neonatal subventricular zone, prompting investigation into their role.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the functional development and integration of postnatally generated GABAergic interneurons in the mouse cortex.
To characterize the distinct properties of these newly identified interneurons.

Main Methods:

Analysis of cell origins and developmental timelines.
Electrophysiological recordings to assess neuronal firing patterns.
Morphological analysis to identify unique synaptic connections.
Investigating the impact of environmental enrichment (odor) on neuronal populations.

Main Results:

Postnatally generated cells integrate into the cortex, forming two distinct GABAergic interneuron classes.
A novel subclass, "small axonless neurons," is identified, exclusively generated perinatally/postnatally.
These neurons are located in deeper cortical layers (olfactory/orbital), possess unique firing patterns, and mature slowly.
Small axonless neurons utilize dendrodendritic synapses for communication.
Odor enrichment enhances the number of small axonless neurons.

Conclusions:

The mouse cortex harbors a novel subclass of GABAergic interneurons generated postnatally.
"Small axonless neurons" possess unique morphological and functional characteristics, including dendrodendritic communication.
These neurons are integrated into cortical circuits and play a role in olfactory processing, with their numbers modulated by sensory experience.