title: Regulation of motoneuron excitability and the setting of homeostatic limits.
abstract: Stability of neural circuits is reliant on homeostatic mechanisms that return neuron activity towards pre-determined and physiologically appropriate levels. Without these mechanisms, changes due to synaptic plasticity, ageing and disease may push neural circuits towards instability. Whilst widely documented, understanding of how and when neurons determine an appropriate activity level, the so-called set-point, remains unknown. Genetically tractable model systems have greatly contributed to our understanding of neuronal homeostasis and continue to offer attractive models to explore these additional questions. This review focuses on the development of Drosophila motoneurons including defining an embryonic critical period during which these neurons encode their set-points to enable homeostatic regulation of activity.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK.
authors.forename: Carlo Ng
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Giachello
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK. Electronic address: Richard.Baines@manchester.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Baines
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology*; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D023421:Models, Animal; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology