(provided by candidate): The overall goal of this project is to understand how multitufted mitral cells of the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) generate selective outputs for only specific combinations of strain and sex. Although receptor properties certainly contribute to mitral cell selectivity, the ability of any neuron to recognize and respond to certain combinations of features depends fundamentally on dendritic integration. Toward this end, we will investigate temporal and spatial integration properties in AOB mitral cells using a combination of in vitro whole cell physiology and calcium imaging. This will contribute to our knowledge of the computational mechanisms and strategies that neurons use to generate responses that are selective for specific activity patterns. By deepening our understanding of how sensory neurons process information and represent the world, we may ultimately be able to identify therapeutic targets for diseases that affect peripheral processing in the chemical senses, as well as others. ? ? ?
| Castro, Jason B; Urban, Nathaniel N (2009) Subthreshold glutamate release from mitral cell dendrites. J Neurosci 29:7023-30 |
| Castro, Jason B; Hovis, Kenneth R; Urban, Nathaniel N (2007) Recurrent dendrodendritic inhibition of accessory olfactory bulb mitral cells requires activation of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors. J Neurosci 27:5664-71 |
