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Cell-type-Specific Patterned Stimulus-Independent Neuronal Activity in the Drosophila Visual System during Synapse
Orkun Akin1, Bryce T Bajar1, Mehmet F Keles2
1Department of Biological Chemistry, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Neuron
|February 4, 2019
Summary
Spontaneous neural activity shapes brain development in fruit flies. This patterned activity, unique to each neuron type, guides the formation of functional neural circuits during synaptogenesis.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Systems Neuroscience
Background:
- Neural circuits are formed by stereotyped synaptic connections.
- Stimulus-independent neural activity is known to aid vertebrate neural circuit formation.
- The prevalence of such activity in nervous system development is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate patterned, stimulus-independent neural activity in the Drosophila visual system during synaptogenesis.
- To determine if spontaneous activity is a general feature of nervous system development.
Main Methods:
- In vivo calcium, voltage, and glutamate imaging in Drosophila.
- Analysis of neural activity patterns during synaptogenesis.
- Examination of activity signatures across specific neuron types.
Main Results:
- Patterned, stimulus-independent neural activity was observed in the Drosophila visual system during synaptogenesis.
- All neurons participated in brain-wide periodic active and silent phases, with glia showing complementary activity.
- Each of the 15 examined neuron types displayed a unique activity signature.
- Activity of future synaptic partners was highly correlated during development.
Conclusions:
- Cell-type-specific spontaneous activity coordinates the development of functional neural circuitry.
- This finding suggests stimulus-independent neural activity is a general feature of nervous system development.
- The Drosophila visual system serves as a model for studying developmental neural activity patterns.
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