title: Hippocampal pyramidal neurons comprise two distinct cell types that are countermodulated by metabotropic receptors.
abstract: Relating the function of neuronal cell types to information processing and behavior is a central goal of neuroscience. In the hippocampus, pyramidal cells in CA1 and the subiculum process sensory and motor cues to form a cognitive map encoding spatial, contextual, and emotional information, which they transmit throughout the brain. Do these cells constitute a single class or are there multiple cell types with specialized functions? Using unbiased cluster analysis, we show that there are two morphologically and electrophysiologically distinct principal cell types that carry hippocampal output. We show further that these two cell types are inversely modulated by the synergistic action of glutamate and acetylcholine acting on metabotropic receptors that are central to hippocampal function. Combined with prior connectivity studies, our results support a model of hippocampal processing in which the two pyramidal cell types are predominantly segregated into two parallel pathways that process distinct modalities of information.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
authors.forename: Austin R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Graves
authors.forename: Shannon J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Erik B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Bloss
authors.forename: Brett D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Mensh
authors.forename: William L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Kath
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Spruston
mesh_terms: D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione / Q000494:pharmacology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001596:Benzylamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D001703:Biophysics; D056547:CA1 Region, Hippocampal / Q000166:cytology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D050580:Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D018756:GABA Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008239:Lysine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D009474:Neurons / Q000145:classification* / Q000502:physiology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010721:Phosphinic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D011724:Pyridazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001596:Benzylamines; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D050580:Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 3; D018756:GABA Antagonists; D010721:Phosphinic Acids; D011724:Pyridazines; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate; C083008:CGP 52432; D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione; C049853:gabazine; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase; C401141:glutamate decarboxylase 2; C013411:biocytin; D008239:Lysine