title: Local and Distant Input Controlling Excitation in Layer II of the Medial Entorhinal Cortex.
abstract: Layer II (LII) of the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) comprises grid cells that support spatial navigation. The firing pattern of grid cells might be explained by attractor dynamics in a network, which requires either direct excitatory connectivity between phase-specific grid cells or indirect coupling via interneurons. However, knowledge regarding local networks that support in vivo activity is incomplete. Here we identified essential components of LII networks in the MEC. We distinguished four types of excitatory neurons that exhibit cell-type-specific local excitatory and inhibitory connectivity. Furthermore, we found that LII neurons contribute to the excitation of contralateral neurons in the corresponding layer. Finally, we demonstrated that the medial septum controls excitation in the MEC via two subpopulations of long-range GABAergic neurons that target distinct interneurons in LII, thereby disinhibiting local circuits. We thus identified local connections that could support attractor dynamics and external inputs that likely govern excitation in LII.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurobiology, Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Elke C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurobiology, Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neitz
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurobiology, Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pinna
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurobiology, Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Melzer
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurobiology, Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caputi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurobiology, Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. Electronic address: h.monyer@dkfz-heidelberg.de.
authors.forename: Hannah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Monyer
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D018728:Entorhinal Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D059330:GABAergic Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D007395:Interneurons / Q000502:physiology*; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology*