title: Emergence of population bursts from simultaneous activation of small subsets of preBötzinger complex inspiratory neurons.
abstract: During rhythmic movements, central pattern generators (CPGs) trigger bursts of motor activity with precise timing. However, the number of neurons that must be activated within CPGs to generate motor output is unknown. In the mammalian breathing rhythm, a fundamentally important motor behavior, the preBötzinger Complex (preBötC) produces synchronous population-wide bursts of activity to control inspiratory movements. We probed mechanisms underlying inspiratory burst generation in the preBötC using holographic photolysis of caged glutamate in medullary slices from neonatal mice. With stimulation parameters determined to confine photoactivation to targeted neurons, simultaneous excitation of 4-9 targeted neurons could initiate ectopic, endogenous-like bursts with delays averaging 255 ms, placing a critical and novel boundary condition on the microcircuit underlying respiratory rhythmogenesis.
authors: Systems Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095-1763, USA.
authors: Kaiwen
authors: K
authors: Kam
authors: Jason W
authors: JW
authors: Worrell
authors: Cathie
authors: C
authors: Ventalon
authors: Valentina
authors: V
authors: Emiliani
authors: Jack L
authors: JL
authors: Feldman
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D005260:Female; D001239:Inhalation / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods