1
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Mahon S. Variation and convergence in the morpho-functional properties of the mammalian neocortex. Front Syst Neurosci 2024; 18:1413780. [PMID: 38966330 PMCID: PMC11222651 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2024.1413780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Man's natural inclination to classify and hierarchize the living world has prompted neurophysiologists to explore possible differences in brain organisation between mammals, with the aim of understanding the diversity of their behavioural repertoires. But what really distinguishes the human brain from that of a platypus, an opossum or a rodent? In this review, we compare the structural and electrical properties of neocortical neurons in the main mammalian radiations and examine their impact on the functioning of the networks they form. We discuss variations in overall brain size, number of neurons, length of their dendritic trees and density of spines, acknowledging their increase in humans as in most large-brained species. Our comparative analysis also highlights a remarkable consistency, particularly pronounced in marsupial and placental mammals, in the cell typology, intrinsic and synaptic electrical properties of pyramidal neuron subtypes, and in their organisation into functional circuits. These shared cellular and network characteristics contribute to the emergence of strikingly similar large-scale physiological and pathological brain dynamics across a wide range of species. These findings support the existence of a core set of neural principles and processes conserved throughout mammalian evolution, from which a number of species-specific adaptations appear, likely allowing distinct functional needs to be met in a variety of environmental contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Séverine Mahon
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
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2
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Ding C, Yang D, Feldmeyer D. Adenosinergic Modulation of Layer 6 Microcircuitry in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex Is Specific to Presynaptic Cell Type. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1606232023. [PMID: 38429106 PMCID: PMC11007316 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1606-23.2023] [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: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Adenosinergic modulation in the PFC is recognized for its involvement in various behavioral aspects including sleep homoeostasis, decision-making, spatial working memory and anxiety. While the principal cells of layer 6 (L6) exhibit a significant morphological diversity, the detailed cell-specific regulatory mechanisms of adenosine in L6 remain unexplored. Here, we quantitatively analyzed the morphological and electrophysiological parameters of L6 neurons in the rat medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) using whole-cell recordings combined with morphological reconstructions. We were able to identify two different morphological categories of excitatory neurons in the mPFC of both juvenile and young adult rats with both sexes. These categories were characterized by a leading dendrite that was oriented either upright (toward the pial surface) or inverted (toward the white matter). These two excitatory neuron subtypes exhibited different electrophysiological and synaptic properties. Adenosine at a concentration of 30 µM indiscriminately suppressed connections with either an upright or an inverted presynaptic excitatory neuron. However, using lower concentrations of adenosine (10 µM) revealed that synapses originating from L6 upright neurons have a higher sensitivity to adenosine-induced inhibition of synaptic release. Adenosine receptor activation causes a reduction in the probability of presynaptic neurotransmitter release that could be abolished by specifically blocking A1 adenosine receptors (A1ARs) using 8-cyclopentyltheophylline (CPT). Our results demonstrate a differential expression level of A1ARs at presynaptic sites of two functionally and morphologically distinct subpopulations of L6 principal neurons, suggesting the intricate functional role of adenosine in neuronal signaling in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Ding
- Research Center Juelich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 10, Research Center Juelich, Juelich 52425, Germany
| | - Danqing Yang
- Research Center Juelich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 10, Research Center Juelich, Juelich 52425, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen 52074, Germany
| | - Dirk Feldmeyer
- Research Center Juelich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 10, Research Center Juelich, Juelich 52425, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen 52074, Germany
- Jülich-Aachen Research Alliance, Translational Brain Medicine (JARA Brain), Aachen 52074, Germany
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3
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Dervinis M, Crunelli V. Sleep waves in a large-scale corticothalamic model constrained by activities intrinsic to neocortical networks and single thalamic neurons. CNS Neurosci Ther 2024; 30:e14206. [PMID: 37072918 PMCID: PMC10915987 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14206] [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: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/20/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM Many biophysical and non-biophysical models have been able to reproduce the corticothalamic activities underlying different EEG sleep rhythms but none of them included the known ability of neocortical networks and single thalamic neurons to generate some of these waves intrinsically. METHODS We built a large-scale corticothalamic model with a high fidelity in anatomical connectivity consisting of a single cortical column and first- and higher-order thalamic nuclei. The model is constrained by different neocortical excitatory and inhibitory neuronal populations eliciting slow (<1 Hz) oscillations and by thalamic neurons generating sleep waves when isolated from the neocortex. RESULTS Our model faithfully reproduces all EEG sleep waves and the transition from a desynchronized EEG to spindles, slow (<1 Hz) oscillations, and delta waves by progressively increasing neuronal membrane hyperpolarization as it occurs in the intact brain. Moreover, our model shows that slow (<1 Hz) waves most often start in a small assembly of thalamocortical neurons though they can also originate in cortical layer 5. Moreover, the input of thalamocortical neurons increases the frequency of EEG slow (<1 Hz) waves compared to those generated by isolated cortical networks. CONCLUSION Our simulations challenge current mechanistic understanding of the temporal dynamics of sleep wave generation and suggest testable predictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martynas Dervinis
- Neuroscience Division, School of BioscienceCardiff UniversityMuseum AvenueCardiffCF10 3AXUK
- Present address:
School of Physiology, Pharmacology and NeuroscienceBiomedical BuildingBristolBS8 1TDUK
| | - Vincenzo Crunelli
- Neuroscience Division, School of BioscienceCardiff UniversityMuseum AvenueCardiffCF10 3AXUK
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4
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Lee S, Deshpande SS, Merricks EM, Schlafly E, Goodman R, McKhann GM, Eskandar EN, Madsen JR, Cash SS, van Putten MJAM, Schevon CA, van Drongelen W. Spatiotemporal spike-centered averaging reveals symmetry of temporal and spatial components of the spike-LFP relationship during human focal seizures. Commun Biol 2023; 6:317. [PMID: 36966217 PMCID: PMC10039941 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04696-3] [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: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The electrographic manifestation of neural activity can reflect the relationship between the faster action potentials of individual neurons and the slower fluctuations of the local field potential (LFP). This relationship is typically examined in the temporal domain using the spike-triggered average. In this study, we add a spatial component to this relationship. Here we first derive a theoretical model of the spike-LFP relationship across a macroelectrode. This mathematical derivation showed a special symmetry in the spike-LFP relationship wherein a sinc function in the temporal domain predicts a sinc function in the spatial domain. We show that this theoretical result is observed in a real-world system by characterizing the spike-LFP relationship using microelectrode array (MEA) recordings of human focal seizures. To do this, we present a approach, termed the spatiotemporal spike-centered average (st-SCA), that allows for visualization of the spike-LFP relationship in both the temporal and spatial domains. We applied this method to 25 MEA recordings obtained from seven patients with pharmacoresistant focal epilepsy. Of the five patients with MEAs implanted in recruited territory, three exhibited spatiotemporal patterns consistent with a sinc function, and two exhibited spatiotemporal patterns resembling deep wells of excitation. These results suggest that in some cases characterization of the spike-LFP relationship in the temporal domain is sufficient to predict the underlying spatial pattern. Finally, we discuss the biological interpretation of these findings and propose that the sinc function may reflect the role of mid-range excitatory connections during seizure activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somin Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Sarita S Deshpande
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Edward M Merricks
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Emily Schlafly
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Robert Goodman
- Department of Neurosurgery, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, NY, 10075, USA
| | - Guy M McKhann
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Emad N Eskandar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Nayef Al-Rodhan Laboratories for Cellular Neurosurgery and Neurosurgical Technology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Joseph R Madsen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Sydney S Cash
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Michel J A M van Putten
- Clinical Neurophysiology Group, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Technical Medicine, University of Twente, 7500AE, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | | | - Wim van Drongelen
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
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5
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Yang D, Qi G, Ding C, Feldmeyer D. Layer 6A Pyramidal Cell Subtypes Form Synaptic Microcircuits with Distinct Functional and Structural Properties. Cereb Cortex 2021; 32:2095-2111. [PMID: 34628499 PMCID: PMC9113278 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Neocortical layer 6 plays a crucial role in sensorimotor co-ordination and integration through functionally segregated circuits linking intracortical and subcortical areas. We performed whole-cell recordings combined with morphological reconstructions to identify morpho-electric types of layer 6A pyramidal cells (PCs) in rat barrel cortex. Cortico-thalamic (CT), cortico-cortical (CC), and cortico-claustral (CCla) PCs were classified based on their distinct morphologies and have been shown to exhibit different electrophysiological properties. We demonstrate that these three types of layer 6A PCs innervate neighboring excitatory neurons with distinct synaptic properties: CT PCs establish weak facilitating synapses onto other L6A PCs; CC PCs form synapses of moderate efficacy, while synapses made by putative CCla PCs display the highest release probability and a marked short-term depression. For excitatory-inhibitory synaptic connections in layer 6, both the presynaptic PC type and the postsynaptic interneuron type govern the dynamic properties of the respective synaptic connections. We have identified a functional division of local layer 6A excitatory microcircuits which may be responsible for the differential temporal engagement of layer 6 feed-forward and feedback networks. Our results provide a basis for further investigations on the long-range CC, CT, and CCla pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danqing Yang
- Research Center Juelich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 10, 52425 Juelich, Germany
| | - Guanxiao Qi
- Research Center Juelich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 10, 52425 Juelich, Germany
| | - Chao Ding
- Research Center Juelich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 10, 52425 Juelich, Germany
| | - Dirk Feldmeyer
- Research Center Juelich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 10, 52425 Juelich, Germany.,RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Dept of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, 52074 Aachen, Germany.,Jülich-Aachen Research Alliance, Translational Brain Medicine (JARA Brain), Aachen, Germany
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6
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Burns TF, Rajan R. Sensing and processing whisker deflections in rodents. PeerJ 2021; 9:e10730. [PMID: 33665005 PMCID: PMC7906041 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The classical view of sensory information mainly flowing into barrel cortex at layer IV, moving up for complex feature processing and lateral interactions in layers II and III, then down to layers V and VI for output and corticothalamic feedback is becoming increasingly undermined by new evidence. We review the neurophysiology of sensing and processing whisker deflections, emphasizing the general processing and organisational principles present along the entire sensory pathway—from the site of physical deflection at the whiskers to the encoding of deflections in the barrel cortex. Many of these principles support the classical view. However, we also highlight the growing number of exceptions to these general principles, which complexify the system and which investigators should be mindful of when interpreting their results. We identify gaps in the literature for experimentalists and theorists to investigate, not just to better understand whisker sensation but also to better understand sensory and cortical processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas F Burns
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ramesh Rajan
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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7
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Ding C, Emmenegger V, Schaffrath K, Feldmeyer D. Layer-Specific Inhibitory Microcircuits of Layer 6 Interneurons in Rat Prefrontal Cortex. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:32-47. [PMID: 32829414 PMCID: PMC7727376 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
GABAergic interneurons in different cortical areas play important roles in diverse higher-order cognitive functions. The heterogeneity of interneurons is well characterized in different sensory cortices, in particular in primary somatosensory and visual cortex. However, the structural and functional properties of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) interneurons have received less attention. In this study, a cluster analysis based on axonal projection patterns revealed four distinct clusters of L6 interneurons in rat mPFC: Cluster 1 interneurons showed axonal projections similar to Martinotti-like cells extending to layer 1, cluster 2 displayed translaminar projections mostly to layer 5, and cluster 3 interneuron axons were confined to the layer 6, whereas those of cluster 4 interneurons extend also into the white matter. Correlations were found between neuron location and axonal distribution in all clusters. Moreover, all cluster 1 L6 interneurons showed a monotonically adapting firing pattern with an initial high-frequency burst. All cluster 2 interneurons were fast-spiking, while neurons in cluster 3 and 4 showed heterogeneous firing patterns. Our data suggest that L6 interneurons that have distinct morphological and physiological characteristics are likely to innervate different targets in mPFC and thus play differential roles in the L6 microcircuitry and in mPFC-associated functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Ding
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, INM-10 Function of Cortical Microcircuits Group, Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Vishalini Emmenegger
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, INM-10 Function of Cortical Microcircuits Group, Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Kim Schaffrath
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, INM-10 Function of Cortical Microcircuits Group, Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Department of Ophthalmology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Medical School, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Dirk Feldmeyer
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, INM-10 Function of Cortical Microcircuits Group, Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- JARA-Translational Brain Medicine, 52074 Aachen, Germany
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8
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Staiger JF, Petersen CCH. Neuronal Circuits in Barrel Cortex for Whisker Sensory Perception. Physiol Rev 2020; 101:353-415. [PMID: 32816652 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00019.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The array of whiskers on the snout provides rodents with tactile sensory information relating to the size, shape and texture of objects in their immediate environment. Rodents can use their whiskers to detect stimuli, distinguish textures, locate objects and navigate. Important aspects of whisker sensation are thought to result from neuronal computations in the whisker somatosensory cortex (wS1). Each whisker is individually represented in the somatotopic map of wS1 by an anatomical unit named a 'barrel' (hence also called barrel cortex). This allows precise investigation of sensory processing in the context of a well-defined map. Here, we first review the signaling pathways from the whiskers to wS1, and then discuss current understanding of the various types of excitatory and inhibitory neurons present within wS1. Different classes of cells can be defined according to anatomical, electrophysiological and molecular features. The synaptic connectivity of neurons within local wS1 microcircuits, as well as their long-range interactions and the impact of neuromodulators, are beginning to be understood. Recent technological progress has allowed cell-type-specific connectivity to be related to cell-type-specific activity during whisker-related behaviors. An important goal for future research is to obtain a causal and mechanistic understanding of how selected aspects of tactile sensory information are processed by specific types of neurons in the synaptically connected neuronal networks of wS1 and signaled to downstream brain areas, thus contributing to sensory-guided decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jochen F Staiger
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute for Neuroanatomy, Göttingen, Germany; and Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Faculty of Life Sciences, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Carl C H Petersen
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute for Neuroanatomy, Göttingen, Germany; and Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Faculty of Life Sciences, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
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9
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Abstract
Tactile sensory information from facial whiskers provides nocturnal tunnel-dwelling rodents, including mice and rats, with important spatial and textural information about their immediate surroundings. Whiskers are moved back and forth to scan the environment (whisking), and touch signals from each whisker evoke sparse patterns of neuronal activity in whisker-related primary somatosensory cortex (wS1; barrel cortex). Whisking is accompanied by desynchronized brain states and cell-type-specific changes in spontaneous and evoked neuronal activity. Tactile information, including object texture and location, appears to be computed in wS1 through integration of motor and sensory signals. wS1 also directly controls whisker movements and contributes to learned, whisker-dependent, goal-directed behaviours. The cell-type-specific neuronal circuitry in wS1 that contributes to whisker sensory perception is beginning to be defined.
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10
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Tiong SYX, Oka Y, Sasaki T, Taniguchi M, Doi M, Akiyama H, Sato M. Kcnab1 Is Expressed in Subplate Neurons With Unilateral Long-Range Inter-Areal Projections. Front Neuroanat 2019; 13:39. [PMID: 31130851 PMCID: PMC6509479 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2019.00039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Subplate (SP) neurons are among the earliest-born neurons in the cerebral cortex and heterogeneous in terms of gene expression. SP neurons consist mainly of projection neurons, which begin to extend their axons to specific target areas very early during development. However, the relationships between axon projection and gene expression patterns of the SP neurons, and their remnant layer 6b (L6b) neurons, are largely unknown. In this study, we analyzed the corticocortical projections of L6b/SP neurons in the mouse cortex and searched for a marker gene expressed in L6b/SP neurons that have ipsilateral inter-areal projections. Retrograde tracing experiments demonstrated that L6b/SP neurons in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) projected to the primary motor cortex (M1) within the same cortical hemisphere at postnatal day (PD) 2 but did not show any callosal projection. This unilateral projection pattern persisted into adulthood. Our microarray analysis identified the gene encoding a β subunit of voltage-gated potassium channel (Kcnab1) as being expressed in L6b/SP. Double labeling with retrograde tracing and in situ hybridization demonstrated that Kcnab1 was expressed in the unilaterally-projecting neurons in L6b/SP. Embryonic expression was specifically detected in the SP as early as embryonic day (E) 14.5, shortly after the emergence of SP. Double immunostaining experiments revealed different degrees of co-expression of the protein product Kvβ1 with L6b/SP markers Ctgf (88%), Cplx3 (79%), and Nurr1 (58%), suggesting molecular subdivision of unilaterally-projecting L6b/SP neurons. In addition to expression in L6b/SP, scattered expression of Kcnab1 was observed during postnatal stages without layer specificity. Among splicing variants with three alternative first exons, the variant 1.1 explained all the cortical expression mentioned in this study. Together, our data suggest that L6b/SP neurons have corticocortical projections and Kcnab1 expression defines a subpopulation of L6b/SP neurons with a unilateral inter-areal projection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheena Yin Xin Tiong
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,Division of Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Osaka, Japan.,Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Yuichiro Oka
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,Division of Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Osaka, Japan.,Division of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Department of Morphological and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.,Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Sasaki
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Manabu Taniguchi
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Miyuki Doi
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hisanori Akiyama
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Makoto Sato
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,Division of Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Osaka, Japan.,Division of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Department of Morphological and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.,Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
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11
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Yang D, Günter R, Qi G, Radnikow G, Feldmeyer D. Muscarinic and Nicotinic Modulation of Neocortical Layer 6A Synaptic Microcircuits Is Cooperative and Cell-Specific. Cereb Cortex 2019; 30:3528-3542. [PMID: 32026946 PMCID: PMC7233001 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Acetylcholine (ACh) is known to regulate cortical activity during different behavioral states, for example, wakefulness and attention. Here we show a differential expression of muscarinic ACh receptors (mAChRs) and nicotinic ACh receptors (nAChRs) in different layer 6A (L6A) pyramidal cell (PC) types of somatosensory cortex. At low concentrations, ACh induced a persistent hyperpolarization in corticocortical (CC) but a depolarization in corticothalamic (CT) L6A PCs via M 4 and M1 mAChRs, respectively. At ~ 1 mM, ACh depolarized exclusively CT PCs via α4β2 subunit-containing nAChRs without affecting CC PCs. Miniature EPSC frequency in CC PCs was decreased by ACh but increased in CT PCs. In synaptic connections with a presynaptic CC PC, glutamate release was suppressed via M4 mAChR activation but enhanced by nAChRs via α4β2 nAChRs when the presynaptic neuron was a CT PC. Thus, in L6A, the interaction of mAChRs and nAChRs results in an altered excitability and synaptic release, effectively strengthening CT output while weakening CC synaptic signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danqing Yang
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-10), Function of Neuronal Microcircuits, Research Centre Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Robert Günter
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-10), Function of Neuronal Microcircuits, Research Centre Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Guanxiao Qi
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-10), Function of Neuronal Microcircuits, Research Centre Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Gabriele Radnikow
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-10), Function of Neuronal Microcircuits, Research Centre Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Dirk Feldmeyer
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-10), Function of Neuronal Microcircuits, Research Centre Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, D-52074 Aachen, Germany.,Jülich Aachen Research Alliance, Translational Brain Medicine (JARA Brain), D-52074 Aachen, Germany
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12
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Yamashita T, Vavladeli A, Pala A, Galan K, Crochet S, Petersen SSA, Petersen CCH. Diverse Long-Range Axonal Projections of Excitatory Layer 2/3 Neurons in Mouse Barrel Cortex. Front Neuroanat 2018; 12:33. [PMID: 29765308 PMCID: PMC5938399 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2018.00033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Excitatory projection neurons of the neocortex are thought to play important roles in perceptual and cognitive functions of the brain by directly connecting diverse cortical and subcortical areas. However, many aspects of the anatomical organization of these inter-areal connections are unknown. Here, we studied long-range axonal projections of excitatory layer 2/3 neurons with cell bodies located in mouse primary somatosensory barrel cortex (wS1). As a population, these neurons densely projected to secondary whisker somatosensory cortex (wS2) and primary/secondary whisker motor cortex (wM1/2), with additional axon in the dysgranular zone surrounding the barrel field, perirhinal temporal association cortex and striatum. In three-dimensional reconstructions of 6 individual wS2-projecting neurons and 9 individual wM1/2-projecting neurons, we found that both classes of neurons had extensive local axon in layers 2/3 and 5 of wS1. Neurons projecting to wS2 did not send axon to wM1/2, whereas a small subset of wM1/2-projecting neurons had relatively weak projections to wS2. A small fraction of projection neurons solely targeted wS2 or wM1/2. However, axon collaterals from wS2-projecting and wM1/2-projecting neurons were typically also found in subsets of various additional areas, including the dysgranular zone, perirhinal temporal association cortex and striatum. Our data suggest extensive diversity in the axonal targets selected by individual nearby cortical long-range projection neurons with somata located in layer 2/3 of wS1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takayuki Yamashita
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Neuroscience II, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.,PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Japan
| | - Angeliki Vavladeli
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Aurélie Pala
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.,Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Katia Galan
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sylvain Crochet
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sara S A Petersen
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Carl C H Petersen
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
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13
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Karube F, Sári K, Kisvárday ZF. Axon topography of layer 6 spiny cells to orientation map in the primary visual cortex of the cat (area 18). Brain Struct Funct 2016; 222:1401-1426. [PMID: 27539451 PMCID: PMC5368233 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-016-1284-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2016] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
To uncover the functional topography of layer 6 neurons, optical imaging was combined with three-dimensional neuronal reconstruction. Apical dendrite morphology of 23 neurons revealed three distinct types. Type Aa possessed a short apical dendrite with many oblique branches, Type Ab was characterized by a short and less branched apical dendrite, whereas Type B had a long apical dendrite with tufts in layer 2. Each type had a similar number of boutons, yet their spatial distribution differed from each other in both radial and horizontal extent. Boutons of Type Aa and Ab were almost restricted to the column of the parent soma with a laminar preference to layer 4 and 5/6, respectively. Only Type B contributed to long horizontal connections (up to 1.5 mm) mostly in deep layers. For all types, bouton distribution on orientation map showed an almost equal occurrence at iso- (52.6 ± 18.8 %) and non-iso-orientation (oblique, 27.7 ± 14.9 % and cross-orientation 19.7 ± 10.9 %) sites. Spatial convergence of axons of nearby layer 6 spiny neurons depended on soma separation of the parent cells, but only weakly on orientation preference, contrary to orientation dependence of converging axons of layer 4 spiny cells. The results show that layer 6 connections have only a weak dependence on orientation preference compared with those of layers 2/3 (Buzás et al., J Comp Neurol 499:861–881, 2006) and 4 (Karube and Kisvárday, Cereb Cortex 21:1443–1458, 2011).
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuyuki Karube
- Laboratory for Cortical Systems Neuroscience, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary
- Graduate School of Brain Science, Doshisha University, Tataramiyakodani 1-3, Kyotanabe, Kyoto, 610-0394, Japan
| | - Katalin Sári
- Laboratory for Cortical Systems Neuroscience, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary
- Department of Neurosciences Fondamentales, Centre Médical Universitaire, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 4, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Zoltán F Kisvárday
- Laboratory for Cortical Systems Neuroscience, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary.
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14
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Narayanan RT, Egger R, Johnson AS, Mansvelder HD, Sakmann B, de Kock CPJ, Oberlaender M. Beyond Columnar Organization: Cell Type- and Target Layer-Specific Principles of Horizontal Axon Projection Patterns in Rat Vibrissal Cortex. Cereb Cortex 2015; 25:4450-68. [PMID: 25838038 PMCID: PMC4816792 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhv053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Vertical thalamocortical afferents give rise to the elementary functional units of sensory cortex, cortical columns. Principles that underlie communication between columns remain however unknown. Here we unravel these by reconstructing in vivo-labeled neurons from all excitatory cell types in the vibrissal part of rat primary somatosensory cortex (vS1). Integrating the morphologies into an exact 3D model of vS1 revealed that the majority of intracortical (IC) axons project far beyond the borders of the principal column. We defined the corresponding innervation volume as the IC-unit. Deconstructing this structural cortical unit into its cell type-specific components, we found asymmetric projections that innervate columns of either the same whisker row or arc, and which subdivide vS1 into 2 orthogonal [supra-]granular and infragranular strata. We show that such organization could be most effective for encoding multi whisker inputs. Communication between columns is thus organized by multiple highly specific horizontal projection patterns, rendering IC-units as the primary structural entities for processing complex sensory stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajeevan T Narayanan
- Computational Neuroanatomy Group, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Robert Egger
- Computational Neuroanatomy Group, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tuebingen, Germany Graduate School of Neural Information Processing, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Andrew S Johnson
- Digital Neuroanatomy, Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter , FL 33458, USA
| | - Huibert D Mansvelder
- Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bert Sakmann
- Digital Neuroanatomy, Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter , FL 33458, USA
| | - Christiaan P J de Kock
- Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel Oberlaender
- Computational Neuroanatomy Group, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tuebingen, Germany Digital Neuroanatomy, Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter , FL 33458, USA Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Tuebingen, Germany
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15
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Schnepel P, Kumar A, Zohar M, Aertsen A, Boucsein C. Physiology and Impact of Horizontal Connections in Rat Neocortex. Cereb Cortex 2014; 25:3818-35. [PMID: 25410428 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhu265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cortical information processing at the cellular level has predominantly been studied in local networks, which are dominated by strong vertical connectivity between layers. However, recent studies suggest that the bulk of axons targeting pyramidal neurons most likely originate from outside this local range, emphasizing the importance of horizontal connections. We mapped a subset of these connections to L5B pyramidal neurons in rat somatosensory cortex with photostimulation, identifying intact projections up to a lateral distance of 2 mm. Our estimates of the spatial distribution of cells presynaptic to L5B pyramids support the idea that the majority is located outside the local volume. The synaptic physiology of horizontal connections does not differ markedly from that of local connections, whereas the layer and cell-type-dependent pattern of innervation does. Apart from L2/3, L6A provides a strong source of horizontal connections. Implementing our data into a spiking neuronal network model shows that more horizontal connections promote robust asynchronous ongoing activity states and reduce noise correlations in stimulus-induced activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Schnepel
- Bernstein Center Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany Neurobiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany
| | - Arvind Kumar
- Bernstein Center Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany Neurobiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany
| | - Mihael Zohar
- Bernstein Center Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany Neurobiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany
| | - Ad Aertsen
- Bernstein Center Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany Neurobiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany
| | - Clemens Boucsein
- Bernstein Center Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany Neurobiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany
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16
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Vélez-Fort M, Rousseau CV, Niedworok CJ, Wickersham IR, Rancz EA, Brown APY, Strom M, Margrie TW. The stimulus selectivity and connectivity of layer six principal cells reveals cortical microcircuits underlying visual processing. Neuron 2014; 83:1431-43. [PMID: 25175879 PMCID: PMC4175007 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2014.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/29/2014] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Sensory computations performed in the neocortex involve layer six (L6) cortico-cortical (CC) and cortico-thalamic (CT) signaling pathways. Developing an understanding of the physiological role of these circuits requires dissection of the functional specificity and connectivity of the underlying individual projection neurons. By combining whole-cell recording from identified L6 principal cells in the mouse primary visual cortex (V1) with modified rabies virus-based input mapping, we have determined the sensory response properties and upstream monosynaptic connectivity of cells mediating the CC or CT pathway. We show that CC-projecting cells encompass a broad spectrum of selectivity to stimulus orientation and are predominantly innervated by deep layer V1 neurons. In contrast, CT-projecting cells are ultrasparse firing, exquisitely tuned to orientation and direction information, and receive long-range input from higher cortical areas. This segregation in function and connectivity indicates that L6 microcircuits route specific contextual and stimulus-related information within and outside the cortical network. L6 cortico-cortical neurons are broadly tuned to stimulus orientation L6 cortico-thalamic neurons are sparse firing and highly tuned to stimulus orientation L6 cortico-cortical neurons receive input from cells located mostly within V1 L6 cortico-thalamic neurons receive input from higher order cortical areas
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateo Vélez-Fort
- The Division of Neurophysiology, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK
| | - Charly V Rousseau
- The Division of Neurophysiology, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK
| | - Christian J Niedworok
- The Division of Neurophysiology, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK
| | - Ian R Wickersham
- Genetic Neuroengineering Group, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ede A Rancz
- The Division of Neurophysiology, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK
| | - Alexander P Y Brown
- The Division of Neurophysiology, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK
| | - Molly Strom
- The Division of Neurophysiology, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK
| | - Troy W Margrie
- The Division of Neurophysiology, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK; Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
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17
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van Aerde KI, Feldmeyer D. Morphological and physiological characterization of pyramidal neuron subtypes in rat medial prefrontal cortex. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 25:788-805. [PMID: 24108807 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bht278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) has been implicated in cognitive and executive processes including decision making, working memory and behavioral flexibility. Cortical processing depends on the interaction between distinct neuronal cell types in different cortical layers. To better understand cortical processing in the rat mPFC, we studied the diversity of pyramidal neurons using in vitro whole-cell patch clamp recordings and biocytin staining of neurons, followed by morphological analysis. Using unsupervised cluster analysis for the objective grouping of neurons, we identified more than 10 different pyramidal subtypes spread across the different cortical layers. Layer 2 pyramidal neurons possessed a unique morphology with wide apical dendritic field spans and a narrow basal field span. Layer 3 contained the only subtype that showed a burst of action potentials upon current injection. Layer 5 pyramidal neurons showed the largest voltage sags. Finally, pyramidal neurons in layer 6 (L6) showed a great variety in their morphology with 39% of L6 neurons possessing tall apical dendrites that extend into layer 1. Future experiments on the functional role of the mPFC should take into account the great diversity of pyramidal neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karlijn I van Aerde
- Forschungszentrum Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, INM-2, D-52425 Jülich, Germany Current address: Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science, 1105 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dirk Feldmeyer
- Forschungszentrum Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, INM-2, D-52425 Jülich, Germany Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Medical School, D-52074 Aachen, Germany Jülich Aachen Research Alliance, Translational Brain Medicine (JARA-Brain), D-52074 Aachen, Germany
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18
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Abstract
The neuromodulator adenosine is widely considered to be a key regulator of sleep homeostasis and an indicator of sleep need. Although the effect of adenosine on subcortical areas has been previously described, the effects on cortical neurons have not been addressed systematically to date. To that purpose, we performed in vitro whole-cell patch-clamp recordings and biocytin staining of pyramidal neurons and interneurons throughout all layers of rat prefrontal and somatosensory cortex, followed by morphological analysis. We found that adenosine, via the A1 receptor, exerts differential effects depending on neuronal cell type and laminar location. Interneurons and pyramidal neurons in layer 2 and a subpopulation of layer 3 pyramidal neurons that displayed regular spiking were insensitive to adenosine application, whereas other pyramidal cells in layers 3-6 were hyperpolarized (range 1.2-10.8 mV). Broad tufted pyramidal neurons with little spike adaptation showed a small adenosine response, whereas slender tufted pyramidal neurons with substantial adaptation showed a bigger response. These studies of the action of adenosine at the postsynaptic level may contribute to the understanding of the changes in cortical circuit functioning that take place between sleep and awakening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karlijn I van Aerde
- Forschungszentrum Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, INM-2, D-52425 Jülich, Germany Current address: Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science, 1105 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Guanxiao Qi
- Forschungszentrum Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, INM-2, D-52425 Jülich, Germany Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Medical School, D-52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Dirk Feldmeyer
- Forschungszentrum Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, INM-2, D-52425 Jülich, Germany Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Medical School, D-52074 Aachen, Germany JARA-Translational Brain Medicine, Aachen, Germany
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19
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Feldmeyer D, Brecht M, Helmchen F, Petersen CC, Poulet JF, Staiger JF, Luhmann HJ, Schwarz C. Barrel cortex function. Prog Neurobiol 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2012.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 257] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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20
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Marx M, Feldmeyer D. Morphology and physiology of excitatory neurons in layer 6b of the somatosensory rat barrel cortex. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 23:2803-17. [PMID: 22944531 PMCID: PMC3827708 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhs254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Neocortical lamina 6B (L6B) is a largely unexplored layer with a very heterogeneous cellular composition. To date, only little is known about L6B neurons on a systematic and quantitative basis. We investigated the morphological and electrophysiological properties of excitatory L6B neurons in the rat somatosensory barrel cortex using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings and simultaneous biocytin fillings. Subsequent histological processing and computer-assisted 3D reconstructions provided the basis for a classification of excitatory L6B neurons according to their structural and functional characteristics. Three distinct clusters of excitatory L6B neurons were identified: (C1) pyramidal neurons with an apical dendrite pointing towards the pial surface, (C2) neurons with a prominent, “apical”-like dendrite not oriented towards the pia, and (C3) multipolar spiny neurons without any preferential dendritic orientation. The second group could be further subdivided into three categories termed inverted, “tangentially” oriented and “horizontally” oriented neurons. Furthermore, based on the axonal domain two subcategories of L6B pyramidal cells were identified that had either a more barrel-column confined or an extended axonal field. The classification of excitatory L6B neurons provided here may serve as a basis for future studies on the structure, function, and synaptic connectivity of L6B neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Marx
- Research Center Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-2), D-52425 Jülich, Germany,
| | - Dirk Feldmeyer
- Research Center Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-2), D-52425 Jülich, Germany,
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, D-52074 Aachen, Germany and
- Jülich Aachen Research Alliance, Translational Brain Medicine (JARA Brain), D-52074 Aachen, Germany
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21
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Feldmeyer D. Excitatory neuronal connectivity in the barrel cortex. Front Neuroanat 2012; 6:24. [PMID: 22798946 PMCID: PMC3394394 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2012.00024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 208] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2012] [Accepted: 06/15/2012] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Neocortical areas are believed to be organized into vertical modules, the cortical columns, and the horizontal layers 1–6. In the somatosensory barrel cortex these columns are defined by the readily discernible barrel structure in layer 4. Information processing in the neocortex occurs along vertical and horizontal axes, thereby linking individual barrel-related columns via axons running through the different cortical layers of the barrel cortex. Long-range signaling occurs within the neocortical layers but also through axons projecting through the white matter to other neocortical areas and subcortical brain regions. Because of the ease of identification of barrel-related columns, the rodent barrel cortex has become a prototypical system to study the interactions between different neuronal connections within a sensory cortical area and between this area and other cortical as well subcortical regions. Such interactions will be discussed specifically for the feed-forward and feedback loops between the somatosensory and the somatomotor cortices as well as the different thalamic nuclei. In addition, recent advances concerning the morphological characteristics of excitatory neurons and their impact on the synaptic connectivity patterns and signaling properties of neuronal microcircuits in the whisker-related somatosensory cortex will be reviewed. In this context, their relationship between the structural properties of barrel-related columns and their function as a module in vertical synaptic signaling in the whisker-related cortical areas will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk Feldmeyer
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, INM-2, Research Centre Jülich Jülich, Germany
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