Abstract

Over the next 5 years, the main objective of this project will be to analyze visually evoked synaptic activity in tectal neurons of Xenopus tadpoles. In particular, the temporal and spatial patterns of active regions on the dendritic trees will be examined during development in general and also during periods of induced changes in synaptic strength. To this end patterned visual stimulation and multiple patch-clamp recordings of tectal cells will be combined with simultaneous multi-photon laser scanning calcium imaging. Patch clamp recordings will provide the amplitude and the fast temporal dynamics of synaptic responses and two-photon calcium imaging will reveal the spatial pattern in three dimensions. Synapses will be activated by direct electrical stimulation of retinal ganglion cells as well as by visual images presented to the retina. To induce changes in synaptic connectivity several electrical and visual stimulation paradigms will be used. These experiments will provide new information about dendritic integration of complex physiological inputs and about the development of receptive fields in the vertebrate visual system. ? ?

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01EY014429-04
Application #
7248639
Study Section
Central Visual Processing Study Section (CVP)
Program Officer
Steinmetz, Michael A
Project Start
2004-08-01
Project End
2009-06-30
Budget Start
2007-07-01
Budget End
2008-06-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2007
Total Cost
$318,498
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
Harvard University
Department
Microbiology/Immun/Virology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
082359691
City
Cambridge
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02138

  Publications

Lefort, Sandrine; Gray, Annette C; Turrigiano, Gina G (2013) Long-term inhibitory plasticity in visual cortical layer 4 switches sign at the opening of the critical period. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 110:E4540-7
Ahrens, Misha B; Li, Jennifer M; Orger, Michael B et al. (2012) Brain-wide neuronal dynamics during motor adaptation in zebrafish. Nature 485:471-7
Valente, Andre; Huang, Kuo-Hua; Portugues, Ruben et al. (2012) Ontogeny of classical and operant learning behaviors in zebrafish. Learn Mem 19:170-7
Naumann, Eva A; Kampff, Adam R; Prober, David A et al. (2010) Monitoring neural activity with bioluminescence during natural behavior. Nat Neurosci 13:513-20
Bracken, Bethany K; Turrigiano, Gina G (2009) Experience-dependent regulation of TrkB isoforms in rodent visual cortex. Dev Neurobiol 69:267-78
Bollmann, Johann H; Engert, Florian (2009) Subcellular topography of visually driven dendritic activity in the vertebrate visual system. Neuron 61:895-905
Maffei, Arianna; Turrigiano, Gina G (2008) Multiple modes of network homeostasis in visual cortical layer 2/3. J Neurosci 28:4377-84
Ramdya, Pavan; Engert, Florian (2008) Emergence of binocular functional properties in a monocular neural circuit. Nat Neurosci 11:1083-90
Orger, Michael B; Kampff, Adam R; Severi, Kristen E et al. (2008) Control of visually guided behavior by distinct populations of spinal projection neurons. Nat Neurosci 11:327-33
Douglass, Adam D; Kraves, Sebastian; Deisseroth, Karl et al. (2008) Escape behavior elicited by single, channelrhodopsin-2-evoked spikes in zebrafish somatosensory neurons. Curr Biol 18:1133-7

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