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Parvalbumin-expressing interneurons linearly control olfactory bulb output.
Hiroyuki K Kato1, Shea N Gillet, Andrew J Peters
1Center for Neural Circuits and Behavior and Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
Neuron
|November 19, 2013
Summary
Parvalbumin-expressing (PV) cells in the olfactory bulb form dense connections with mitral cells, significantly influencing odor coding. Inactivating PV cells linearly enhances mitral cell responses, revealing their role in modulating olfactory bulb output gain.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Olfactory System Research
- Cellular Electrophysiology
Background:
- Odor representations in the olfactory bulb are modulated by local inhibitory circuits.
- The role of parvalbumin-expressing (PV) interneurons in olfactory bulb modulation is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the functional properties of olfactory bulb PV cells.
- To determine the contribution of PV cells to odor coding and mitral cell modulation.
Main Methods:
- Paired recordings to assess connectivity between PV cells and mitral cells.
- In vivo calcium imaging in awake mice to observe PV cell activity during odor presentation.
- Selective inactivation of PV cells to evaluate their impact on mitral cell responses.
Main Results:
- PV cells form dense, reciprocal connections with a majority of nearby mitral cells.
- PV cells exhibit broad tuning to various odors.
- PV cell inactivation leads to a linear enhancement of mitral cell responses without altering odor preferences.
Conclusions:
- Dense PV cell-mitral cell connectivity forms a critical inhibitory circuit.
- PV cells play a significant role in modulating the gain of olfactory bulb output.
- These findings clarify the contribution of PV cells to olfactory processing.
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