Spontaneous neural activity is required for the establishment and maintenance of the olfactory sensory map.
We have developed a genetic approach to examine the role of spontaneous activity and synaptic release in the establishment and maintenance of an olfactory sensory map. Conditional expression of tetanus toxin light chain, a molecule that inhibits synaptic release, does not perturb targeting during development, but neurons that express this molecule in a competitive environment fail to maintain appropriate synaptic connections and disappear. Overexpression of the inward rectifying potassium channel, Kir2.1, diminishes the excitability of sensory neurons and more severely disrupts the formation of an olfactory map. These studies suggest that spontaneous neural activity is required for the establishment and maintenance of the precise connectivity inherent in an olfactory sensory map.
Yu
C Ron
CR
Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
Power
Jennifer
J
Barnea
Gilad
G
O'Donnell
Sean
S
Brown
Hannah E V
HE
Osborne
Joseph
J
Axel
Richard
R
Gogos
Joseph A
JA
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics; D017930:Genes, Reporter / Q000235:genetics; D020439:Growth Cones / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000235:genetics; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D009831:Olfactory Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D009833:Olfactory Pathways / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D050683:R-SNARE Proteins; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000235:genetics; D016708:Synaptophysin / Q000378:metabolism; D013744:Tetanus Toxin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D008565:Membrane Proteins; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D050683:R-SNARE Proteins; D016708:Synaptophysin; D013744:Tetanus Toxin; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; C093556:zinc-endopeptidase, tetanus neurotoxin