title: Electrical coupling regulates layer 1 interneuron microcircuit formation in the neocortex.
abstract: The coexistence of electrical and chemical synapses among interneurons is essential for interneuron function in the neocortex. However, it remains largely unclear whether electrical coupling between interneurons influences chemical synapse formation and microcircuit assembly during development. Here, we show that electrical and GABAergic chemical connections robustly develop between interneurons in neocortical layer 1 over a similar time course. Electrical coupling promotes action potential generation and synchronous firing between layer 1 interneurons. Furthermore, electrically coupled interneurons exhibit strong GABA-A receptor-mediated synchronous synaptic activity. Disruption of electrical coupling leads to a loss of bidirectional, but not unidirectional, GABAergic connections. Moreover, a reduction in electrical coupling induces an increase in excitatory synaptic inputs to layer 1 interneurons. Together, these findings strongly suggest that electrical coupling between neocortical interneurons plays a critical role in regulating chemical synapse development and precise formation of circuits.
authors: Institute of Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors: Xing-Hua
authors: XH
authors: Yao
authors: Institute of Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors: Min
authors: M
authors: Wang
authors: Centre for Computational Systems Biology and the School of Mathematical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors: Xiang-Nan
authors: XN
authors: He
authors: Stem Cell Translational Research Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors: Fei
authors: F
authors: He
authors: Institute of Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors: Shu-Qing
authors: SQ
authors: Zhang
authors: Centre for Computational Systems Biology and the School of Mathematical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors: Wenlian
authors: W
authors: Lu
authors: Institute of Neuroscience and State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue-Yang Road, Shanghai 200031, China.
authors: Zi-Long
authors: ZL
authors: Qiu
authors: Institute of Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors: Yong-Chun
authors: YC
authors: Yu
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D017630:Connexins / Q000502:physiology; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000502:physiology; D007395:Interneurons / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D019579:Neocortex / Q000196:embryology* / Q000502:physiology*; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000502:physiology; D034622:RNA Interference; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000378:metabolism; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology; D055366:Synaptic Potentials; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000502:physiology; D000097004:Gap Junction delta-2 Protein
chemical_list: D017630:Connexins; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000097004:Gap Junction delta-2 Protein