This application aims to advance understanding of selected fundamental properties of long-axoned (propriospinal) spinal (SC) interneurons (INs) in several mammalian species (adult mouse, transgenic mouse, neonatal rat, adult cat) and preparations (intact and freely moving, reduced in vivo, isolated in vitro SC and SC slices). The focus is on narrowing the gap between current understanding of mammalian spinal INs and identified INs in invertebrate preparations. There is an emphasis on INs which may participate in spinal pattern-generating activity for the elaboration of locomotion. Such INs include two potentially overlapping groups which are the focus of this proposal: cholinergic INs and 5-HT-activated ones. It is hoped to advance understanding of these cell's spinal location, responses to descending and sensory input, selected pharmacological properties, non-neuromodulated and neuromodulated passive, transitional, and active (repetitive-firing) properties, and their effects on their output spinal motoneurons (MNs).
| Carlin, K P; Liu, J; Jordan, L M (2008) Postnatal changes in the inactivation properties of voltage-gated sodium channels contribute to the mature firing pattern of spinal motoneurons. J Neurophysiol 99:2864-76 |
| Zaporozhets, Eugene; Cowley, Kristine C; Schmidt, Brian J (2006) Propriospinal neurons contribute to bulbospinal transmission of the locomotor command signal in the neonatal rat spinal cord. J Physiol 572:443-58 |
| Cowley, Kristine C; Zaporozhets, Eugene; Maclean, Jason N et al. (2005) Is NMDA receptor activation essential for the production of locomotor-like activity in the neonatal rat spinal cord? J Neurophysiol 94:3805-14 |
| Zaporozhets, Eugene; Cowley, Kristine C; Schmidt, Brian J (2004) A reliable technique for the induction of locomotor-like activity in the in vitro neonatal rat spinal cord using brainstem electrical stimulation. J Neurosci Methods 139:33-41 |
