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The Subventricular Zone En-face: Wholemount Staining and Ependymal Flow
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Postnatal subventricular zone progenitors switch their fate to generate neurons with distinct synaptic input patterns
Namasivayam Ravi1, Zhijun Li2, Lars-Lennart Oettl1
1Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim 68159, Germany German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg 69120, Germany.
Development (Cambridge, England)
|December 19, 2014
Summary
Neural progenitor cells in the neonatal and adult brain generate distinct granule cells (GCs) with specific synaptic input patterns. These patterns are determined early in progenitor cells and influenced by the brain circuit environment.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- New granule cell neurons (GCs) are generated in the neonatal and adult subventricular zone (SVZ).
- These GCs exhibit distinct synaptic input patterns that dictate their function in the olfactory bulb.
- The developmental origin and environmental influences on these synaptic patterns remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether synaptic input patterns in GCs are determined by SVZ progenitors or the integrating brain circuit.
- To differentiate the roles of progenitor cell intrinsic properties versus environmental cues in shaping GC synaptic connectivity.
Main Methods:
- Utilized retroviral labeling and heterochronic transplantation of SVZ progenitor cells.
- Visualized glutamatergic input synapses in differentiated GCs using genetic tags.
- Analyzed synaptic densities in different dendritic domains of GCs derived from neonatal and adult progenitors.
Main Results:
- Neonatal SVZ progenitors transplanted into the adult brain generated GCs that retained neonatal synaptic densities.
- Adult SVZ progenitors transplanted into the neonatal brain generated GCs with atypical synaptic patterns, differing from both neonatal and adult norms.
- GCs derived from neonatal progenitors showed adult synaptic development in only one dendritic domain, while later-born GCs exhibited adult patterns in both.
Conclusions:
- SVZ progenitors in neonatal and adult brains generate distinct GC populations with predetermined synaptic input patterns.
- Adult progenitors require specific circuit properties to maintain their characteristic synaptic input patterns after differentiation.
- Early determination of synaptic patterns at the progenitor level offers potential for engineering neuronal wiring in brain repair strategies.
