1
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Nakagawa N, Iwasato T. Activity-dependent dendrite patterning in the postnatal barrel cortex. Front Neural Circuits 2024; 18:1409993. [PMID: 38827189 PMCID: PMC11140076 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2024.1409993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
For neural circuit construction in the brain, coarse neuronal connections are assembled prenatally following genetic programs, being reorganized postnatally by activity-dependent mechanisms to implement area-specific computational functions. Activity-dependent dendrite patterning is a critical component of neural circuit reorganization, whereby individual neurons rearrange and optimize their presynaptic partners. In the rodent primary somatosensory cortex (barrel cortex), driven by thalamocortical inputs, layer 4 (L4) excitatory neurons extensively remodel their basal dendrites at neonatal stages to ensure specific responses of barrels to the corresponding individual whiskers. This feature of barrel cortex L4 neurons makes them an excellent model, significantly contributing to unveiling the activity-dependent nature of dendrite patterning and circuit reorganization. In this review, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of the activity-dependent mechanisms underlying dendrite patterning. Our focus lays on the mechanisms revealed by in vivo time-lapse imaging, and the role of activity-dependent Golgi apparatus polarity regulation in dendrite patterning. We also discuss the type of neuronal activity that could contribute to dendrite patterning and hence connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Nakagawa
- Laboratory of Mammalian Neural Circuits, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
- Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Mishima, Japan
| | - Takuji Iwasato
- Laboratory of Mammalian Neural Circuits, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
- Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Mishima, Japan
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2
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Tsytsarev V, Plachez C, Zhao S, O'Connor DH, Erzurumlu RS. Bilateral Whisker Representations in the Primary Somatosensory Cortex in Robo3cKO Mice Are Reflected in the Primary Motor Cortex. Neuroscience 2024; 544:128-137. [PMID: 38447690 PMCID: PMC11146016 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2024.02.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
In Robo3cKO mice, midline crossing defects of the trigeminothalamic projections from the trigeminal principal sensory nucleus result in bilateral whisker maps in the somatosensory thalamus and consequently in the face representation area of the primary somatosensory (S1) cortex (Renier et al., 2017; Tsytsarev et al., 2017). We investigated whether this bilateral sensory representation in the whisker-barrel cortex is also reflected in the downstream projections from the S1 to the primary motor (M1) cortex. To label these projections, we injected anterograde viral axonal tracer in S1 cortex. Corticocortical projections from the S1 distribute to similar areas across the ipsilateral hemisphere in control and Robo3cKO mice. Namely, in both genotypes they extend to the M1, premotor/prefrontal cortex (PMPF), secondary somatosensory (S2) cortex. Next, we performed voltage-sensitive dye imaging (VSDi) in the left hemisphere following ipsilateral and contralateral single whisker stimulation. While controls showed only activation in the contralateral whisker barrel cortex and M1 cortex, the Robo3cKO mouse left hemisphere was activated bilaterally in both the barrel cortex and the M1 cortex. We conclude that the midline crossing defect of the trigeminothalamic projections leads to bilateral whisker representations not only in the thalamus and the S1 cortex but also downstream from the S1, in the M1 cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vassiliy Tsytsarev
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 20 Penn St, HSF-2, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
| | - Céline Plachez
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 20 Penn St, HSF-2, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
| | - Shuxin Zhao
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 20 Penn St, HSF-2, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
| | - Daniel H O'Connor
- The Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, 338 Krieger Hall, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
| | - Reha S Erzurumlu
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 20 Penn St, HSF-2, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
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3
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Koutsioumpa C, Santiago C, Jacobs K, Lehnert BP, Barrera V, Hutchinson JN, Schmelyun D, Lehoczky JA, Paul DL, Ginty DD. Skin-type-dependent development of murine mechanosensory neurons. Dev Cell 2023; 58:2032-2047.e6. [PMID: 37607547 PMCID: PMC10615785 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.07.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Mechanosensory neurons innervating the skin underlie our sense of touch. Fast-conducting, rapidly adapting mechanoreceptors innervating glabrous (non-hairy) skin form Meissner corpuscles, while in hairy skin, they associate with hair follicles, forming longitudinal lanceolate endings. How mechanoreceptors develop axonal endings appropriate for their skin targets is unknown. We report that mechanoreceptor morphologies across different skin regions are indistinguishable during early development but diverge post-natally, in parallel with skin maturation. Neurons terminating along the glabrous and hairy skin border exhibit hybrid morphologies, forming both Meissner corpuscles and lanceolate endings. Additionally, molecular profiles of neonatal glabrous and hairy skin-innervating neurons largely overlap. In mouse mutants with ectopic glabrous skin, mechanosensory neurons form end-organs appropriate for the altered skin type. Finally, BMP5 and BMP7 are enriched in glabrous skin, and signaling through type I bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) receptors in neurons is critical for Meissner corpuscle morphology. Thus, mechanoreceptor morphogenesis is flexibly instructed by target tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charalampia Koutsioumpa
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Celine Santiago
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kiani Jacobs
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Brendan P Lehnert
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Victor Barrera
- Bioinformatics Core, Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - John N Hutchinson
- Bioinformatics Core, Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Dhane Schmelyun
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jessica A Lehoczky
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - David L Paul
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - David D Ginty
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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4
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Ueta Y, Miyata M. Functional and structural synaptic remodeling mechanisms underlying somatotopic organization and reorganization in the thalamus. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105332. [PMID: 37524138 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
The somatosensory system organizes the topographic representation of body maps, termed somatotopy, at all levels of an ascending hierarchy. Postnatal maturation of somatotopy establishes optimal somatosensation, whereas deafferentation in adults reorganizes somatotopy, which underlies pathological somatosensation, such as phantom pain and complex regional pain syndrome. Here, we focus on the mouse whisker somatosensory thalamus to study how sensory experience shapes the fine topography of afferent connectivity during the critical period and what mechanisms remodel it and drive a large-scale somatotopic reorganization after peripheral nerve injury. We will review our findings that, following peripheral nerve injury in adults, lemniscal afferent synapses onto thalamic neurons are remodeled back to immature configuration, as if the critical period reopens. The remodeling process is initiated with local activation of microglia in the brainstem somatosensory nucleus downstream to injured nerves and heterosynaptically controlled by input from GABAergic and cortical neurons to thalamic neurons. These fruits of thalamic studies complement well-studied cortical mechanisms of somatotopic organization and reorganization and unveil potential intervention points in treating pathological somatosensation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshifumi Ueta
- Division of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan
| | - Mariko Miyata
- Division of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan.
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5
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Nakagawa N, Iwasato T. Golgi polarity shift instructs dendritic refinement in the neonatal cortex by mediating NMDA receptor signaling. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112843. [PMID: 37516101 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Dendritic refinement is a critical component of activity-dependent neuronal circuit maturation, through which individual neurons establish specific connectivity with their target axons. Here, we demonstrate that the developmental shift of Golgi polarity is a key process in dendritic refinement. During neonatal development, the Golgi apparatus in layer 4 spiny stellate (SS) neurons in the mouse barrel cortex lose their original apical positioning and acquire laterally polarized distributions. This lateral Golgi polarity, which is oriented toward the barrel center, peaks on postnatal days 5-7 (P5-P7) and disappears by P15, which aligns with the developmental time course of SS neuron dendritic refinement. Genetic ablation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, key players in dendritic refinement, disturbs the lateral Golgi polarity. Golgi polarity manipulation disrupts the asymmetric dendritic projection pattern and the primary-whisker-specific response of SS neurons. Our results elucidate activity-dependent Golgi dynamics and their critical role in developmental neuronal circuit refinement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Nakagawa
- Laboratory of Mammalian Neural Circuits, National Institute of Genetics (NIG), Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan; Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan.
| | - Takuji Iwasato
- Laboratory of Mammalian Neural Circuits, National Institute of Genetics (NIG), Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan; Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan.
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6
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Fritzsch B, Elliott KL, Yamoah EN. Neurosensory development of the four brainstem-projecting sensory systems and their integration in the telencephalon. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:913480. [PMID: 36213204 PMCID: PMC9539932 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.913480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Somatosensory, taste, vestibular, and auditory information is first processed in the brainstem. From the brainstem, the respective information is relayed to specific regions within the cortex, where these inputs are further processed and integrated with other sensory systems to provide a comprehensive sensory experience. We provide the organization, genetics, and various neuronal connections of four sensory systems: trigeminal, taste, vestibular, and auditory systems. The development of trigeminal fibers is comparable to many sensory systems, for they project mostly contralaterally from the brainstem or spinal cord to the telencephalon. Taste bud information is primarily projected ipsilaterally through the thalamus to reach the insula. The vestibular fibers develop bilateral connections that eventually reach multiple areas of the cortex to provide a complex map. The auditory fibers project in a tonotopic contour to the auditory cortex. The spatial and tonotopic organization of trigeminal and auditory neuron projections are distinct from the taste and vestibular systems. The individual sensory projections within the cortex provide multi-sensory integration in the telencephalon that depends on context-dependent tertiary connections to integrate other cortical sensory systems across the four modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernd Fritzsch
- Department of Biology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
- Department of Otolaryngology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
- *Correspondence: Bernd Fritzsch,
| | - Karen L. Elliott
- Department of Biology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Ebenezer N. Yamoah
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, United States
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7
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Tsytsarev V, Kwon SE, Plachez C, Zhao S, O'Connor DH, Erzurumlu RS. Layers 3 and 4 Neurons of the Bilateral Whisker-Barrel Cortex. Neuroscience 2022; 494:140-151. [PMID: 35598701 PMCID: PMC9884091 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
In Robo3R3-5cKO mouse brain, rhombomere 3-derived trigeminal principal nucleus (PrV) neurons project bilaterally to the somatosensory thalamus. As a consequence, whisker-specific neural modules (barreloids and barrels) representing whiskers on both sides of the face develop in the sensory thalamus and the primary somatosensory cortex. We examined the morphological complexity of layer 4 barrel cells, their postsynaptic partners in layer 3, and functional specificity of layer 3 pyramidal cells. Layer 4 spiny stellate cells form much smaller barrels and their dendritic fields are more focalized and less complex compared to controls, while layer 3 pyramidal cells did not show notable differences. Using in vivo 2-photon imaging of a genetically encoded fluorescent [Ca2+] sensor, we visualized neural activity in the normal and Robo3R3-5cKO barrel cortex in response to ipsi- and contralateral single whisker stimulation. Layer 3 neurons in control animals responded only to their contralateral whiskers, while in the mutant cortex layer 3 pyramidal neurons showed both ipsi- and contralateral whisker responses. These results indicate that bilateral whisker map inputs stimulate different but neighboring groups of layer 3 neurons which normally relay contralateral whisker-specific information to other cortical areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vassiliy Tsytsarev
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore 20 Penn St, HSF-2, 21201 MD, Baltimore, United States.
| | - Sung E Kwon
- Department of Neuroscience, John Hopkins School of Medicine, 855 N. Wolfe Street, Rangos 295, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States.
| | - Celine Plachez
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore 20 Penn St, HSF-2, 21201 MD, Baltimore, United States.
| | - Shuxin Zhao
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore 20 Penn St, HSF-2, 21201 MD, Baltimore, United States.
| | - Daniel H O'Connor
- Department of Neuroscience and Krieger Mind/Brain Institute Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N Charles St, 338 Krieger Hall, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States.
| | - Reha S Erzurumlu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore 20 Penn St, HSF-2, 21201 MD, Baltimore, United States.
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8
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Pumo GM, Kitazawa T, Rijli FM. Epigenetic and Transcriptional Regulation of Spontaneous and Sensory Activity Dependent Programs During Neuronal Circuit Development. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:911023. [PMID: 35664458 PMCID: PMC9158562 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.911023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Spontaneous activity generated before the onset of sensory transduction has a key role in wiring developing sensory circuits. From axonal targeting, to synapse formation and elimination, to the balanced integration of neurons into developing circuits, this type of activity is implicated in a variety of cellular processes. However, little is known about its molecular mechanisms of action, especially at the level of genome regulation. Conversely, sensory experience-dependent activity implements well-characterized transcriptional and epigenetic chromatin programs that underlie heterogeneous but specific genomic responses that shape both postnatal circuit development and neuroplasticity in the adult. In this review, we focus on our knowledge of the developmental processes regulated by spontaneous activity and the underlying transcriptional mechanisms. We also review novel findings on how chromatin regulates the specificity and developmental induction of the experience-dependent program, and speculate their relevance for our understanding of how spontaneous activity may act at the genomic level to instruct circuit assembly and prepare developing neurons for sensory-dependent connectivity refinement and processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele M. Pumo
- Laboratory of Neurodevelopmental Epigenetics, Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
- Department Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Taro Kitazawa
- Laboratory of Neurodevelopmental Epigenetics, Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Filippo M. Rijli
- Laboratory of Neurodevelopmental Epigenetics, Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
- Department Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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9
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Whisker trimming induces anti-anxiety like status via activation of dorsomedial hypothalamus nucleus in mice. Brain Res 2022; 1789:147946. [PMID: 35597326 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2022.147946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Whiskers are highly developed tactile organs in mice. Here, we showed that mice with whisker trimming had a decreased anxiety behavior and activation of dorsomedial hypothalamus compared to control mice. Inhibition or damage of dorsomedial hypothalamus reversed the decrease of anxiety level induced by whisker trimming. These results expand the role of whiskers in regulating mouse behaviors to anxiety and suggest a novel function of dorsomedial hypothalamus. These findings indicate importance of normal sensory functions in modulating animal behavior.
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10
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Steinecke A, Bolton MM, Taniguchi H. Neuromodulatory control of inhibitory network arborization in the developing postnatal neocortex. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabe7192. [PMID: 35263136 PMCID: PMC8906727 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abe7192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Interregional neuronal communication is pivotal to instructing and adjusting cortical circuit assembly. Subcortical neuromodulatory systems project long-range axons to the cortex and affect cortical processing. However, their roles and signaling mechanisms in cortical wiring remain poorly understood. Here, we explored whether and how the cholinergic system regulates inhibitory axonal ramification of neocortical chandelier cells (ChCs), which control spike generation by innervating axon initial segments of pyramidal neurons. We found that acetylcholine (ACh) signaling through nicotinic ACh receptors (nAChRs) and downstream T-type voltage-dependent calcium (Ca2+) channels cell-autonomously controls axonal arborization in developing ChCs through regulating filopodia initiation. This signaling axis shapes the basal Ca2+ level range in varicosities where filopodia originate. Furthermore, the normal development of ChC axonal arbors requires proper levels of activity in subcortical cholinergic neurons. Thus, the cholinergic system regulates inhibitory network arborization in the developing neocortex and may tune cortical circuit properties depending on early-life experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Steinecke
- Development and Function of Inhibitory Neural Circuits, Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - McLean M. Bolton
- Disorders of Neural Circuit Function, Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Hiroki Taniguchi
- Development and Function of Inhibitory Neural Circuits, Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
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11
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Lehnert BP, Santiago C, Huey EL, Emanuel AJ, Renauld S, Africawala N, Alkislar I, Zheng Y, Bai L, Koutsioumpa C, Hong JT, Magee AR, Harvey CD, Ginty DD. Mechanoreceptor synapses in the brainstem shape the central representation of touch. Cell 2021; 184:5608-5621.e18. [PMID: 34637701 PMCID: PMC8556359 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.09.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Mammals use glabrous (hairless) skin of their hands and feet to navigate and manipulate their environment. Cortical maps of the body surface across species contain disproportionately large numbers of neurons dedicated to glabrous skin sensation, in part reflecting a higher density of mechanoreceptors that innervate these skin regions. Here, we find that disproportionate representation of glabrous skin emerges over postnatal development at the first synapse between peripheral mechanoreceptors and their central targets in the brainstem. Mechanoreceptor synapses undergo developmental refinement that depends on proximity of their terminals to glabrous skin, such that those innervating glabrous skin make synaptic connections that expand their central representation. In mice incapable of sensing gentle touch, mechanoreceptors innervating glabrous skin still make more powerful synapses in the brainstem. We propose that the skin region a mechanoreceptor innervates controls the developmental refinement of its central synapses to shape the representation of touch in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan P Lehnert
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Celine Santiago
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Erica L Huey
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Alan J Emanuel
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Sophia Renauld
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Nusrat Africawala
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ilayda Alkislar
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yang Zheng
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ling Bai
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Charalampia Koutsioumpa
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jennifer T Hong
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Alexandra R Magee
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Christopher D Harvey
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - David D Ginty
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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12
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The cellular and molecular basis of somatosensory neuron development. Neuron 2021; 109:3736-3757. [PMID: 34592169 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Primary somatosensory neurons convey salient information about our external environment and internal state to the CNS, allowing us to detect, perceive, and react to a wide range of innocuous and noxious stimuli. Pseudo-unipolar in shape, and among the largest (longest) cells of most mammals, dorsal root ganglia (DRG) somatosensory neurons have peripheral axons that extend into skin, muscle, viscera, or bone and central axons that innervate the spinal cord and brainstem, where they synaptically engage the central somatosensory circuitry. Here, we review the diversity of mammalian DRG neuron subtypes and the intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms that control their development. We describe classical and contemporary advances that frame our understanding of DRG neurogenesis, transcriptional specification of DRG neurons, and the establishment of morphological, physiological, and synaptic diversification across somatosensory neuron subtypes.
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13
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Martini FJ, Guillamón-Vivancos T, Moreno-Juan V, Valdeolmillos M, López-Bendito G. Spontaneous activity in developing thalamic and cortical sensory networks. Neuron 2021; 109:2519-2534. [PMID: 34293296 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.06.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Developing sensory circuits exhibit different patterns of spontaneous activity, patterns that are related to the construction and refinement of functional networks. During the development of different sensory modalities, spontaneous activity originates in the immature peripheral sensory structures and in the higher-order central structures, such as the thalamus and cortex. Certainly, the perinatal thalamus exhibits spontaneous calcium waves, a pattern of activity that is fundamental for the formation of sensory maps and for circuit plasticity. Here, we review our current understanding of the maturation of early (including embryonic) patterns of spontaneous activity and their influence on the assembly of thalamic and cortical sensory networks. Overall, the data currently available suggest similarities between the developmental trajectory of brain activity in experimental models and humans, which in the future may help to improve the early diagnosis of developmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J Martini
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain.
| | - Teresa Guillamón-Vivancos
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
| | - Verónica Moreno-Juan
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
| | - Miguel Valdeolmillos
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
| | - Guillermina López-Bendito
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain.
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14
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Nakazawa S, Iwasato T. Spatial organization and transitions of spontaneous neuronal activities in the developing sensory cortex. Dev Growth Differ 2021; 63:323-339. [PMID: 34166527 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The sensory cortex underlies our ability to perceive and interact with the external world. Sensory perceptions are controlled by specialized neuronal circuits established through fine-tuning, which relies largely on neuronal activity during the development. Spontaneous neuronal activity is an essential driving force of neuronal circuit refinement. At early developmental stages, sensory cortices display spontaneous activities originating from the periphery and characterized by correlated firing arranged spatially according to the modality. The firing patterns are reorganized over time and become sparse, which is typical for the mature brain. This review focuses mainly on rodent sensory cortices. First, the features of the spontaneous activities during early postnatal stages are described. Then, the developmental changes in the spatial organization of the spontaneous activities and the transition mechanisms involved are discussed. The identification of the principles controlling the spatial organization of spontaneous activities in the developing sensory cortex is essential to understand the self-organization process of neuronal circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shingo Nakazawa
- Laboratory of Mammalian Neural Circuits, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan.,Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Takuji Iwasato
- Laboratory of Mammalian Neural Circuits, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan.,Department of Genetics, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Mishima, Japan
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15
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Aihara S, Fujimoto S, Sakaguchi R, Imai T. BMPR-2 gates activity-dependent stabilization of primary dendrites during mitral cell remodeling. Cell Rep 2021; 35:109276. [PMID: 34161760 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Developing neurons initially form excessive neurites and then remodel them based on molecular cues and neuronal activity. Developing mitral cells in the olfactory bulb initially extend multiple primary dendrites. They then stabilize single primary dendrites while eliminating others. However, the mechanisms underlying selective dendrite remodeling remain elusive. Using CRISPR-Cas9-based knockout screening combined with in utero electroporation, we identify BMPR-2 as a key regulator for selective dendrite stabilization. Bmpr2 knockout and its rescue experiments show that BMPR-2 inhibits LIMK without ligands and thereby permits dendrite destabilization. In contrast, the overexpression of antagonists and agonists indicates that ligand-bound BMPR-2 stabilizes dendrites, most likely by releasing LIMK. Using genetic and FRET imaging experiments, we demonstrate that free LIMK is activated by NMDARs via Rac1, facilitating dendrite stabilization through F-actin formation. Thus, the selective stabilization of primary dendrites is ensured by concomitant inputs of BMP ligands and neuronal activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhei Aihara
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan; Laboratory for Sensory Circuit Formation, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Kobe 650-0047, Japan; Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Satoshi Fujimoto
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan; Laboratory for Sensory Circuit Formation, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Richi Sakaguchi
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan; Laboratory for Sensory Circuit Formation, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Kobe 650-0047, Japan; Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Takeshi Imai
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan; Laboratory for Sensory Circuit Formation, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Kobe 650-0047, Japan; Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
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16
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Ueta Y, Miyata M. Brainstem local microglia induce whisker map plasticity in the thalamus after peripheral nerve injury. Cell Rep 2021; 34:108823. [PMID: 33691115 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.108823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Whisker deafferentation in mice disrupts topographic connectivity from the brainstem to the thalamic ventral posteromedial nucleus (VPM), which represents whisker map, by recruiting "ectopic" axons carrying non-whisker information in VPM. However, mechanisms inducing this plasticity remain largely unknown. Here, we show the role of region-specific microglia in the brainstem principal trigeminal nucleus (Pr5), a whisker sensory-recipient region, in VPM whisker map plasticity. Systemic or local manipulation of microglial activity reveals that microglia in Pr5, but not in VPM, are necessary and sufficient for recruiting ectopic axons in VPM. Deafferentation causes membrane hyperexcitability of Pr5 neurons dependent on microglia. Inactivation of Pr5 neurons abolishes this somatotopic reorganization in VPM. Additionally, microglial depletion prevents deafferentation-induced ectopic mechanical hypersensitivity. Our results indicate that local microglia in the brainstem induce peripheral nerve injury-induced plasticity of map organization in the thalamus and suggest that microglia are potential therapeutic targets for peripheral nerve injury-induced mechanical hypersensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshifumi Ueta
- Division of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan.
| | - Mariko Miyata
- Division of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan.
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17
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NMDA Receptor Enhances Correlation of Spontaneous Activity in Neonatal Barrel Cortex. J Neurosci 2021; 41:1207-1217. [PMID: 33372060 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0527-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Correlated spontaneous activity plays critical role in the organization of neocortical circuits during development. However, cortical mechanisms regulating activity correlation are still elusive. In this study, using two-photon calcium imaging of the barrel cortex layer 4 (L4) in living neonatal mice, we found that NMDA receptors (NMDARs) in L4 neurons are important for enhancement of spontaneous activity correlation. Disruption of GluN1 (Grin1), an obligatory NMDAR subunit, in a sparse population of L4 neurons reduced activity correlation between GluN1 knock-out (GluN1KO) neuron pairs within a barrel. This reduction in activity correlation was even detected in L4 neuron pairs in neighboring barrels and most evident when either or both of neurons are located on the barrel edge. Our results provide evidence for the involvement of L4 neuron NMDARs in spatial organization of the spontaneous firing activity of L4 neurons in the neonatal barrel cortex.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Precise wiring of the thalamocortical circuits is necessary for proper sensory information processing, and thalamus-derived correlated spontaneous activity is important for thalamocortical circuit formation. The molecular mechanisms involved in the correlated activity transfer from the thalamus to the neocortex are largely unknown. In vivo two-photon calcium imaging of the neonatal barrel cortex revealed that correlated spontaneous activity between layer four neurons is reduced by mosaic knock-out (KO) of the NMDA receptor (NMDAR) obligatory subunit GluN1. Our results suggest that the function of NMDARs in layer four neurons is necessary for the communication between presynaptic and postsynaptic partners during thalamocortical circuit formation.
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18
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Sensational developments in somatosensory development? Curr Opin Neurobiol 2021; 66:212-223. [PMID: 33454646 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2020.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
This is an overview of the most recent advances pertaining to the development of the cardinal components of the somatosensory system: the peripheral sensory neurons that perceive somatosensory stimuli, the first line central nervous system circuits that modulate them, and the higher structures such as the somatosensory cortex that eventually compute a motor response to them. Here, I also review the most recent findings concerning the role of neuronal activity in somatosensory development, formation of somatotopic maps, insights into human somatosensory development and the link between aberrant somatosensation and neurodevelopmental disorders.
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19
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Rao MS, Mizuno H. Elucidating mechanisms of neuronal circuit formation in layer 4 of the somatosensory cortex via intravital imaging. Neurosci Res 2020; 167:47-53. [PMID: 33309867 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2020.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The cerebral cortex has complex yet perfectly wired neuronal circuits that are important for high-level brain functions such as perception and cognition. The rodent's somatosensory system is widely used for understanding the mechanisms of circuit formation during early developmental periods. In this review, we summarize the developmental processes of circuit formation in layer 4 of the somatosensory cortex, and we describe the molecules involved in layer 4 circuit formation and neuronal activity-dependent mechanisms of circuit formation. We also introduce the dynamic mechanisms of circuit formation in layer 4 revealed by intravital two-photon imaging technologies, which include time-lapse imaging of neuronal morphology and calcium imaging of neuronal activity in newborn mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhura S Rao
- Laboratory of Multi-dimensional Imaging, International Research Center for Medical Sciences (IRCMS), Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan; Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan
| | - Hidenobu Mizuno
- Laboratory of Multi-dimensional Imaging, International Research Center for Medical Sciences (IRCMS), Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan; Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan.
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20
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Iwasato T. In vivo imaging of neural circuit formation in the neonatal mouse barrel cortex. Dev Growth Differ 2020; 62:476-486. [DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Takuji Iwasato
- Laboratory of Mammalian Neural Circuits National Institute of Genetics Mishima Japan
- Department of Genetics SOKENDAI Mishima Japan
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21
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Arakawa H. Somatosensorimotor and Odor Modification, Along with Serotonergic Processes Underlying the Social Deficits in BTBR T+ Itpr3 tf/J and BALB/cJ Mouse Models of Autism. Neuroscience 2020; 445:144-162. [PMID: 32061779 PMCID: PMC8078887 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Revised: 02/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Autism is a complex spectrum of disorders characterized by core behavioral deficits in social communicative behavior, which are also required for comprehensive analysis of preclinical mouse models. As animal models of the core behavioral deficits in autism, two inbred mouse strains, BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) and BALB/cJ (BALB), were compared with the standard social strain, C57BL/6J (B6), regarding a variety of behavioral factors underlying social communicative interactions, including olfactory and tactile sensory processes, social recognition abilities and behavioral expression strategies. Although both female BTBR and BALB mice can express social recognition and approach behavior depending on the stimuli they encounter, the available sensory modalities, along with modulation of the serotonergic system, differ between the two strains. BALB mice have deficits in using volatile olfactory cues and tactile information in a social context; they fail to exhibit a social approach to volatile cues and seek nonvolatile cues by exhibiting substantial sniff/contact behavior when allowed direct contact with social opponents. Systemic injection of the serotonin (5-HT1A) agonist buspirone has little effect on these social deficits, suggesting a congenitally degraded serotonergic system in BALB mice. In contrast, BTBR mice exhibit impaired body coordination and social motivation-modified olfactory signals, which are relevant to a reduced social approach. A systemic injection of the 5-HT1A agonist restored these social deficits in BTBR mice, indicating that a downregulated serotonergic system is involved in the social deficits exhibited by BTBR mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Arakawa
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Rodent Behavioral Core Department of Research Administration, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA.
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22
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Erzurumlu RS, Gaspar P. How the Barrel Cortex Became a Working Model for Developmental Plasticity: A Historical Perspective. J Neurosci 2020; 40:6460-6473. [PMID: 32817388 PMCID: PMC7486654 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0582-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
For half a century now, the barrel cortex of common laboratory rodents has been an exceptionally useful model for studying the formation of topographically organized maps, neural patterning, and plasticity, both in development and in maturity. We present a historical perspective on how barrels were discovered, and how thereafter, they became a workhorse for developmental neuroscientists and for studies on brain plasticity and activity-dependent modeling of brain circuits. What is particularly remarkable about this sensory system is a cellular patterning that is induced by signals derived from the sensory receptors surrounding the snout whiskers and transmitted centrally to the brainstem (barrelettes), the thalamus (barreloids), and the neocortex (barrels). Injury to the sensory receptors shortly after birth leads to predictable pattern alterations at all levels of the system. Mouse genetics have increased our understanding of how barrels are constructed and revealed the interplay of the molecular programs that direct axon growth and cell specification, with activity-dependent mechanisms. There is an ever-rising interest in this sensory system as a neurobiological model to study development of somatotopy, patterning, and plasticity at both the morphologic and physiological levels. This article is part of a group of articles commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Society for Neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reha S Erzurumlu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| | - Patricia Gaspar
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris Brain Institute, Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France 75013
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23
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Wang M, Yu Z, Li G, Yu X. Multiple Morphological Factors Underlie Experience-Dependent Cross-Modal Plasticity in the Developing Sensory Cortices. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:2418-2433. [PMID: 31828301 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Revised: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory experience regulates the structural and functional wiring of sensory cortices. In previous work, we showed that whisker deprivation (WD) from birth not only reduced excitatory synaptic transmission of layer (L) 2/3 pyramidal neurons of the correspondent barrel cortex in mice, but also cross-modally reduced synaptic transmission of L2/3 pyramidal neurons in other sensory cortices. Here, we used in utero electroporation, in combination with optical clearing, to examine the main morphological components regulating neural circuit wiring, namely presynaptic bouton density, spine density, as well as dendrite and axon arbor lengths. We found that WD from P0 to P14 reduced presynaptic bouton density in both L4 and L2/3 inputs to L2/3 pyramidal neurons, as well as spine density across the dendritic tree of L2/3 pyramidal neurons, in the barrel field of the primary somatosensory cortex. The cross-modal effects in the primary auditory cortex were manifested mostly as reduced dendrite and axon arbor size, as well as reduced bouton density of L2/3 inputs. Increasing sensory experience by rearing mice in an enriched environment rescued the effects of WD. Together, these results demonstrate that multiple morphological factors contribute to experience-dependent structural plasticity during early wiring of the sensory cortices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Wang
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zixian Yu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Guangying Li
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Xiang Yu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.,School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
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24
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Fritzsch B, Elliott KL, Pavlinkova G. Primary sensory map formations reflect unique needs and molecular cues specific to each sensory system. F1000Res 2019; 8:F1000 Faculty Rev-345. [PMID: 30984379 PMCID: PMC6439788 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.17717.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Interaction with the world around us requires extracting meaningful signals to guide behavior. Each of the six mammalian senses (olfaction, vision, somatosensation, hearing, balance, and taste) has a unique primary map that extracts sense-specific information. Sensory systems in the periphery and their target neurons in the central nervous system develop independently and must develop specific connections for proper sensory processing. In addition, the regulation of sensory map formation is independent of and prior to central target neuronal development in several maps. This review provides an overview of the current level of understanding of primary map formation of the six mammalian senses. Cell cycle exit, combined with incompletely understood molecules and their regulation, provides chemoaffinity-mediated primary maps that are further refined by activity. The interplay between cell cycle exit, molecular guidance, and activity-mediated refinement is the basis of dominance stripes after redundant organ transplantations in the visual and balance system. A more advanced level of understanding of primary map formation could benefit ongoing restoration attempts of impaired senses by guiding proper functional connection formations of restored sensory organs with their central nervous system targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernd Fritzsch
- Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA
| | | | - Gabriela Pavlinkova
- Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Vestec, Czech Republic
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25
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Kitazawa T, Rijli FM. Barrelette map formation in the prenatal mouse brainstem. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2018; 53:210-219. [PMID: 30342228 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2018.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The rodent whiskers are topographically mapped in brainstem sensory nuclei as neuronal modules known as barrelettes. Little is known about how the facial whisker pattern is copied into a brainstem barrelette topographic pattern, which serves as a template for the establishment of thalamic barreloid and, in turn, cortical barrel maps, and how precisely is the whisker pattern mapped in the brainstem during prenatal development. Here, we review recent insights advancing our understanding of the intrinsic and extrinsic patterning mechanisms contributing to establish topographical equivalence between the facial whisker pattern and the mouse brainstem during prenatal development and their relative importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taro Kitazawa
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Filippo M Rijli
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4051 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, 4003 Basel, Switzerland.
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