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Kokhan VS, Pikalov VA, Chaprov K, Gulyaev MV. Combined Ionizing Radiation Exposure by Gamma Rays and Carbon-12 Nuclei Increases Neurotrophic Factor Content and Prevents Age-Associated Decreases in the Volume of the Sensorimotor Cortex in Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6725. [PMID: 38928431 PMCID: PMC11203503 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126725] [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: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 06/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In orbital and ground-based experiments, it has been demonstrated that ionizing radiation (IR) can stimulate the locomotor and exploratory activity of rodents, but the underlying mechanism of this phenomenon remains undisclosed. Here, we studied the effect of combined IR (0.4 Gy γ-rays and 0.14 Gy carbon-12 nuclei) on the locomotor and exploratory activity of rats, and assessed the sensorimotor cortex volume by magnetic resonance imaging-based morphometry at 1 week and 7 months post-irradiation. The sensorimotor cortex tissues were processed to determine whether the behavioral and morphologic effects were associated with changes in neurotrophin content. The irradiated rats were characterized by increased locomotor and exploratory activity, as well as novelty-seeking behavior, at 3 days post-irradiation. At the same time, only unirradiated rats experienced a significant decrease in the sensorimotor cortex volume at 7 months. While there were no significant differences at 1 week, at 7 months, the irradiated rats were characterized by higher neurotrophin-3 and neurotrophin-4 content in the sensorimotor cortex. Thus, IR prevents the age-associated decrease in the sensorimotor cortex volume, which is associated with neurotrophic and neurogenic changes. Meanwhile, IR-induced increases in locomotor activity may be the cause of the observed changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktor S. Kokhan
- V.P. Serbsky National Medical Research Centre for Psychiatry and Narcology, 119034 Moscow, Russia
| | - Vladimir A. Pikalov
- Institute for High Energy Physics Named by A.A. Logunov of NRC “Kurchatov Institute”, 142281 Protvino, Russia;
| | - Kirill Chaprov
- Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds at Federal Research Center of Problems of Chemical Physics and Medicinal Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142432 Chernogolovka, Russia;
| | - Mikhail V. Gulyaev
- Faculty of Medicine, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia;
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2
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Viale B, Song L, Petrenko V, Wenger Combremont AL, Contestabile A, Bocchi R, Salmon P, Carleton A, An L, Vutskits L, Kiss JZ. Transient Deregulation of Canonical Wnt Signaling in Developing Pyramidal Neurons Leads to Dendritic Defects and Impaired Behavior. Cell Rep 2020; 27:1487-1502.e6. [PMID: 31042475 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.04.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Revised: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
During development, the precise implementation of molecular programs is a key determinant of proper dendritic development. Here, we demonstrate that canonical Wnt signaling is active in dendritic bundle-forming layer II pyramidal neurons of the rat retrosplenial cortex during dendritic branching and spine formation. Transient downregulation of canonical Wnt transcriptional activity during the early postnatal period irreversibly reduces dendritic arbor architecture, leading to long-lasting deficits in spatial exploration and/or navigation and spatial memory in the adult. During the late phase of dendritogenesis, canonical Wnt-dependent transcription regulates spine formation and maturation. We identify neurotrophin-3 as canonical Wnt target gene in regulating dendritogenesis. Our findings demonstrate how temporary imbalance in canonical Wnt signaling during specific time windows can result in irreversible dendritic defects, leading to abnormal behavior in the adult.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Viale
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva Medical School, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Lin Song
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva Medical School, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland; School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning 116024, China
| | - Volodymyr Petrenko
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva Medical School, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | | | - Alessandro Contestabile
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva Medical School, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Riccardo Bocchi
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva Medical School, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Salmon
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva Medical School, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Alan Carleton
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva Medical School, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Lijia An
- School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning 116024, China
| | - Laszlo Vutskits
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva Medical School, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland; Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Intensive Care, University Hospitals of Geneva, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Jozsef Zoltan Kiss
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva Medical School, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland.
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Rosenberg AB, Roco CM, Muscat RA, Kuchina A, Sample P, Yao Z, Graybuck LT, Peeler DJ, Mukherjee S, Chen W, Pun SH, Sellers DL, Tasic B, Seelig G. Single-cell profiling of the developing mouse brain and spinal cord with split-pool barcoding. Science 2018; 360:176-182. [PMID: 29545511 PMCID: PMC7643870 DOI: 10.1126/science.aam8999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 788] [Impact Index Per Article: 131.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2017] [Revised: 09/30/2017] [Accepted: 02/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
To facilitate scalable profiling of single cells, we developed split-pool ligation-based transcriptome sequencing (SPLiT-seq), a single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) method that labels the cellular origin of RNA through combinatorial barcoding. SPLiT-seq is compatible with fixed cells or nuclei, allows efficient sample multiplexing, and requires no customized equipment. We used SPLiT-seq to analyze 156,049 single-nucleus transcriptomes from postnatal day 2 and 11 mouse brains and spinal cords. More than 100 cell types were identified, with gene expression patterns corresponding to cellular function, regional specificity, and stage of differentiation. Pseudotime analysis revealed transcriptional programs driving four developmental lineages, providing a snapshot of early postnatal development in the murine central nervous system. SPLiT-seq provides a path toward comprehensive single-cell transcriptomic analysis of other similarly complex multicellular systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Charles M Roco
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Richard A Muscat
- Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Anna Kuchina
- Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Paul Sample
- Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Zizhen Yao
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - David J Peeler
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sumit Mukherjee
- Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Wei Chen
- Molecular Engineering and Sciences Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Suzie H Pun
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Drew L Sellers
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Georg Seelig
- Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Molecular Engineering and Sciences Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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Shao YR, Isett BR, Miyashita T, Chung J, Pourzia O, Gasperini RJ, Feldman DE. Plasticity of recurrent l2/3 inhibition and gamma oscillations by whisker experience. Neuron 2013; 80:210-22. [PMID: 24094112 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2013.07.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/10/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Local recurrent networks in neocortex are critical nodes for sensory processing, but their regulation by experience is much less understood than for long-distance (translaminar or cross-columnar) projections. We studied local L2/3 recurrent networks in rat somatosensory cortex during deprivation-induced whisker map plasticity, by expressing channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) in L2/3 pyramidal cells and measuring light-evoked synaptic currents in ex vivo S1 slices. In columns with intact whiskers, brief light impulses evoked recurrent excitation and supralinear inhibition. Deprived columns showed modestly reduced excitation and profoundly reduced inhibition, providing a circuit locus for disinhibition of whisker-evoked responses observed in L2/3 in vivo. Slower light ramps elicited sustained gamma frequency oscillations, which were nearly abolished in deprived columns. Reduction in gamma power was also observed in spontaneous LFP oscillations in L2/3 of deprived columns in vivo. Thus, L2/3 recurrent networks are a powerful site for homeostatic modulation of excitation-inhibition balance and regulation of gamma oscillations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu R Shao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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Miyashita T, Shao YR, Chung J, Pourzia O, Feldman DE. Long-term channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) expression can induce abnormal axonal morphology and targeting in cerebral cortex. Front Neural Circuits 2013; 7:8. [PMID: 23386813 PMCID: PMC3560348 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2013.00008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2012] [Accepted: 01/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-term expression of optogenetic proteins including channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) is widely used to study neural circuit function, but whether ChR2 expression itself perturbs circuits is not known. We expressed a common construct, CAG::ChR2 (H134R)-EYFP-WPRE, in L2/3 pyramidal cells in rat somatosensory cortex via in utero DNA electroporation (IUE). L2/3 pyramidal cells expressed ChR2-EYFP, but histology revealed abnormal morphology and targeting of ChR2-EYFP expressing axons, beginning at postnatal day (P) 33 and increasing with age. Axonal abnormalities included cylinders that enveloped pyramidal cell proximal apical dendrites, and spherical, calyx-like structures that surrounded neuronal cell bodies, including in L4. These are abnormal subcellular and laminar targets for L2/3 pyramidal cell synapses. Abnormalities did not occur in cells expressing GFP instead of ChR2, or in intermixed ChR2-negative axons. Long-term viral-mediated expression (80 d) did not cause axonal abnormalities when the CAG promoter was used, but produced some abnormalities with the stronger αCaMKII promoter (albeit much less than with in utero electroporation). Thus, under some circumstances high-level, long-term expression of ChR2-EYFP can perturb the structural organization of cortical circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshio Miyashita
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley Berkeley, CA, USA
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Sehara K, Wakimoto M, Ako R, Kawasaki H. Distinct developmental principles underlie the formation of ipsilateral and contralateral whisker-related axonal patterns of layer 2/3 neurons in the barrel cortex. Neuroscience 2012; 226:289-304. [PMID: 23000626 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2012] [Revised: 09/02/2012] [Accepted: 09/04/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Axonal organizations with specific patterns underlie the functioning of local intracortical circuitry, but their precise anatomy and development still remain elusive. Here, we selectively visualized layer 2/3 neurons using in utero electroporation and examined their axonal organization in the barrel cortex contralateral to the electroporated side. We found that callosal axons run preferentially in septal regions of layer 4 and showed a whisker-related pattern in the contralateral barrel cortex in rats and mice. In addition, presynaptic marker proteins were found in this whisker-related axonal organization. Although the whisker-related patterns were observed in both the ipsilateral and contralateral barrel cortex, we found a difference in their developmental processes. While the formation of the whisker-related pattern in the ipsilateral cortex consisted of two distinct steps, that in the contralateral cortex did not have the 1st step, in which the axons were diffusely distributed without preference to septal or barrel regions. We also found that these more diffuse axons ran close to radial glial fibers. Together, our results uncovered a whisker-related axonal pattern of callosal axons and two independent developmental processes involved in the formation of the axonal trajectories of layer 2/3 neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Sehara
- Department of Molecular and Systems Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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7
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Efficient Gene Transfer into Neonatal Mouse Brain Using Electroporation. Neurochem Res 2012; 37:1392-8. [DOI: 10.1007/s11064-012-0742-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2011] [Revised: 01/18/2012] [Accepted: 01/23/2012] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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8
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Pyramidal neurons in the superficial layers of rat retrosplenial cortex exhibit a late-spiking firing property. Brain Struct Funct 2012; 218:239-54. [PMID: 22383041 PMCID: PMC3535347 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-012-0398-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2011] [Accepted: 02/10/2012] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The rodent granular retrosplenial cortex (GRS) is reciprocally connected with the hippocampus. It is part of several networks implicated in spatial learning and memory, and is known to contain head-direction cells. There are, however, few specifics concerning the mechanisms and microcircuitry underlying its involvement in spatial and mnemonic functions. In this report, we set out to characterize intrinsic properties of a distinctive population of small pyramidal neurons in layer 2 of rat GRS. These neurons, as well as those in adjoining layer 3, were found to exhibit a late-spiking (LS) firing property. We established by multiple criteria that the LS property is a consequence of delayed rectifier and A-type potassium channels. These were identified as Kv1.1, Kv1.4 and Kv4.3 by Genechip analysis, in situ hybridization, single-cell reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, and pharmacological blockade. The LS property might facilitate comparison or integration of synaptic inputs during an interval delay, consistent with the proposed role of the GRS in memory-related processes.
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Ichinohe N. Small-scale module of the rat granular retrosplenial cortex: an example of the minicolumn-like structure of the cerebral cortex. Front Neuroanat 2012; 5:69. [PMID: 22275884 PMCID: PMC3254062 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2011.00069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2011] [Accepted: 12/28/2011] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Structures associated with the small-scale module called “minicolumn” can be observed frequently in the cerebral cortex. However, the description of functional characteristics remains obscure. A significant confounding factor is the marked variability both in the definition of a minicolumn and in the diagnostic markers for identifying a minicolumn (see for review, Jones, 2000; DeFelipe et al., 2002; Rockland and Ichinohe, 2004). Within a minicolumn, cell columns are easily visualized by conventional Nissl staining. Dendritic bundles were first discovered with Golgi methods, but are more easily seen with microtubule-associated protein 2 immunohistochemistry. Myelinated axon bundles can be seen by Tau immunohistochemistry or myelin staining. Axon bundles of double bouquet cell can be seen by calbindin immunohistochemistry. The spatial interrelationship among these morphological elements is more complex than expected and is neither clear nor unanimously agreed upon. In this review, I would like to focus first on the minicolumnar structure found in layers 1 and 2 of the rat granular retrosplenial cortex. This modular structure was first discovered as a combination of prominent apical dendritic bundles from layer 2 pyramidal neurons and spatially matched thalamocortical patchy inputs (Wyss et al., 1990). Further examination showed more intricate components of this modular structure, which will be reviewed in this paper. Second, the postnatal development of this structure and potential molecular players for its formation will be reviewed. Thirdly, I will discuss how this modular organization is transformed in mutant rodents with a disorganized layer structure in the cerebral cortex (i.e., reeler mouse and shaking rat Kawasaki). Lastly, the potential significance of this type of module will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noritaka Ichinohe
- Department of Ultrastructural Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan
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Zgraggen E, Boitard M, Roman I, Kanemitsu M, Potter G, Salmon P, Vutskits L, Dayer AG, Kiss JZ. Early postnatal migration and development of layer II pyramidal neurons in the rodent cingulate/retrosplenial cortex. Cereb Cortex 2012; 22:144-57. [PMID: 21625013 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhr097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The cingulate and retrosplenial regions are major components of the dorsomedial (dm) limbic cortex and have been implicated in a range of cognitive functions such as emotion, attention, and spatial memory. While the structure and connectivity of these cortices are well characterized, little is known about their development. Notably, the timing and mode of migration that govern the appropriate positioning of late-born neurons remain unknown. Here, we analyzed migratory events during the early postnatal period from ventricular/subventricular zone (VZ/SVZ) to the cerebral cortex by transducing neuronal precursors in the VZ/SVZ of newborn rats/mice with Tomato/green fluorescent protein-encoding lentivectors. We have identified a pool of postmitotic pyramidal precursors in the dm part of the neonatal VZ/SVZ that migrate into the medial limbic cortex during the first postnatal week. Time-lapse imaging demonstrates that these cells migrate on radial glial fibers by locomotion and display morphological and behavioral changes as they travel through the white matter and enter into the cortical gray matter. In the granular retrosplenial cortex, these cells give rise to a Satb2+ pyramidal subtype and develop dendritic bundles in layer I. Our observations provide the first insight into the patterns and dynamics of cell migration into the medial limbic cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eloisa Zgraggen
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Geneva Medical School, CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
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Odagiri S, Meguro R, Asano Y, Tani T, Ichinohe N. Single axon branching analysis in rat thalamocortical projection from the anteroventral thalamus to the granular retrosplenial cortex. Front Neuroanat 2011; 5:63. [PMID: 22013412 PMCID: PMC3190170 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2011.00063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2011] [Accepted: 09/23/2011] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The granular retrosplenial cortex (GRS) in the rat has a distinct microcolumn-type structure. The apical tufts of dendritic bundles at layer I, which are formed by layer II neurons, co-localize with patches of thalamic terminations from anteroventral (AV) thalamic nucleus. To further understand this microcolumn-type structure in the GRS, one of remaining questions is whether this structure extends into other layers, such as layers III/IV. Other than layer I, previous tracer injection study showed that AV thalamic nucleus also projects to layer III/IV in the GRS. In this study, we examined the morphology of branches in the GRS from the AV thalamus in single axon branch resolution in order to determine whether AV axon branches in layer III/IV are branches of axons with extensive branch in layer I, and, if so, whether the extent of these arborizations in layer III/IV vertically matches with that in layer I. For this purpose, we used a small volume injection of biotinylated dextran-amine into the AV thalamus and reconstructing labeled single axon branches in the GRS. We found that the AV axons consisted of heterogeneous branching types. Type 1 had extensive arborization occurring only in layer Ia. Type 2 had additional branches in III/IV. Types 1 and 2 had extensive ramifications in layer Ia, with lateral extensions within the previously reported extensions of tufts from single dendritic bundles (i.e., 30–200 μm; mean 78 μm). In type 2 branches, axon arborizations in layer III/IV were just below to layer Ia ramifications, but much wider (148–533 μm: mean, 341 μm) than that in layer Ia axon branches and dendritic bundles, suggesting that layer-specific information transmission spacing existed even from the same single axons from the AV to the GRS. Thus, microcolumn-type structure in the upper layer of the GRS was not strictly continuous from layer I to layer IV. How each layer and its components interact each other in different spatial scale should be solved future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saori Odagiri
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Histology and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki University Hirosaki, Japan
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De Vry J, Martínez-Martínez P, Losen M, Temel Y, Steckler T, Steinbusch HWM, De Baets MH, Prickaerts J. In vivo electroporation of the central nervous system: a non-viral approach for targeted gene delivery. Prog Neurobiol 2010; 92:227-44. [PMID: 20937354 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2010.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2010] [Revised: 09/24/2010] [Accepted: 10/01/2010] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Electroporation is a widely used technique for enhancing the efficiency of DNA delivery into cells. Application of electric pulses after local injection of DNA temporarily opens cell membranes and facilitates DNA uptake. Delivery of plasmid DNA by electroporation to alter gene expression in tissue has also been explored in vivo. This approach may constitute an alternative to viral gene transfer, or to transgenic or knock-out animals. Among the most frequently electroporated target tissues are skin, muscle, eye, and tumors. Moreover, different regions in the central nervous system (CNS), including the developing neural tube and the spinal cord, as well as prenatal and postnatal brain have been successfully electroporated. Here, we present a comprehensive review of the literature describing electroporation of the CNS with a focus on the adult brain. In addition, the mechanism of electroporation, different ways of delivering the electric pulses, and the risk of damaging the target tissue are highlighted. Electroporation has been successfully used in humans to enhance gene transfer in vaccination or cancer therapy with several clinical trials currently ongoing. Improving the knowledge about in vivo electroporation will pave the way for electroporation-enhanced gene therapy to treat brain carcinomas, as well as CNS disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jochen De Vry
- Department of Psychiatry & Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Abstract
“Column,” like “gene,” has both conceptual and linguistic shortcomings. The simple question “what is a column” is not easy to answer and the word itself is not easy to replace. In the present article, I have selected five points, in no way comprehensive or canonical, but which may nevertheless serve as a prompt and aid for further discussions and re-evaluation. These are: that anatomical columns are not solid structures, that they are part of locally interdigitating systems, that any delimited column also participates in a widely distributed network, that columns are not an obligatory cortical feature, and that columns (as “modules”) occur widely in the brain in non-cortical structures. I focus on the larger scale macrocolumns, mainly from an anatomical perspective. My position is that cortical organization is inherently dynamic and likely to incorporate multiple processing styles. One can speculate that the distributed mappings within areas like piriform cortex may resemble at least one mode of neocortical processing strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen S Rockland
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, RIKEN-MIT Center for Neural Circuit Genetics, MIT Cambridge, MA, USA
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Innocenti GM, Vercelli A. Dendritic bundles, minicolumns, columns, and cortical output units. Front Neuroanat 2010; 4:11. [PMID: 20305751 PMCID: PMC2842100 DOI: 10.3389/neuro.05.011.2010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2009] [Accepted: 02/06/2010] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
THE SEARCH FOR THE FUNDAMENTAL BUILDING BLOCK OF THE CEREBRAL CORTEX HAS HIGHLIGHTED THREE STRUCTURES, PERPENDICULAR TO THE CORTICAL SURFACE: (i) columns of neurons with radially invariant response properties, e.g., receptive field position, sensory modality, stimulus orientation or direction, frequency tuning etc., (ii) minicolumns of radially aligned cell bodies and (iii) bundles, constituted by the apical dendrites of pyramidal neurons with cell bodies in different layers. The latter were described in detail, and sometimes quantitatively, in several species and areas. It was recently suggested that the dendritic bundles consist of apical dendrites belonging to neurons projecting their axons to specific targets. We review the concept above and suggest that another structural and computational unit of cerebral cortex is the cortical output unit, i.e., an assembly of bundles of apical dendrites and their parent cell bodies including each of the outputs to distant cortical or subcortical structures, of a given cortical locus (area or part of an area). This somato-dendritic assembly receives inputs some of which are common to the whole assembly and determine its radially invariant response properties, others are specific to one or more dendritic bundles, and determine the specific response signature of neurons in the different cortical layers and projecting to different targets.
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