Oligodendroglial heterogeneity in time and space (NG2 glia in the CNS)
Abstract
NG2 glia represent a neural cell population that expresses the proteoglycan NG2 and is distinct from other cell types of the central nervous system. While they generate oligodendrocytes and a subset of astrocytes during development, their progeny in the adult brain solely consists of oligodendrocytes and further NG2 glia. In the last years, it has become clear that NG2 glia represent a heterogeneous population of cells with different properties and potential. In this review we will first discuss the similarities and differences between NG2 glia of the developing and adult CNS, before we will desc...
Source: e-Neuroforum - August 27, 2015 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
Diversity of synaptic astrocyte–neuron signaling
Abstract
Fast signal exchange between neurons and astrocytes at the synaptic level has attracted considerable attention. Astrocytes often respond with Ca2+ transients to widely different neuronal synaptic activity. At the same time, astrocyte Ca2+ elevations trigger profound and diverse changes of both excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission. Here, we briefly review examples of the heterogeneity of Ca2+-dependent astrocyte–neuron communication in the rodent hippocampus and discuss mechanisms that could maintain specificity of synaptic astrocyte–neuron signaling in the face of its diversity. (Source: e-Neuroforum)
Source: e-Neuroforum - August 10, 2015 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
Dissecting the regional diversity of glial cells by applying -omic technologies
Abstract
Neuronal as well as glial cells contribute to higher order brain functions. Many observations show that neurons and glial cells are not only physically highly intermingled but are physiologically tightly connected and mutually depend at various levels on each other. Moreover, macroglia classes like astrocytes, NG2 cells and oligodendrocytes are not at all homogenous cell populations but do possess a markedly heterogeneity in various aspects similar to neurons. The diversity of differences in morphology, functionality and, cellular activity has been acknowledged recently and will be integrated int...
Source: e-Neuroforum - August 10, 2015 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
Glial heterogeneity: the increasing complexity of the brain
(Source: e-Neuroforum)
Source: e-Neuroforum - July 30, 2015 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
Funding of a glial research program in Japan: the glial assembly project
(Source: e-Neuroforum)
Source: e-Neuroforum - July 30, 2015 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
Neuron–glia synapses in the brain: properties, diversity and functions of NG2 glia
Abstract
Although NG2 glial cells represent a frequent glial cell type in the brain, characterized by expression of the NG2 proteoglycan, the functional impact of these cells is still enigmatic. A large proportion of NG2 glia are proliferatively active throughout life. These cells express a plethora of ion channels and transmitter receptors, which enable them to detect neuronal activity. Intriguingly, NG2 glial cells receive synaptic input from glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons. Since these postsynaptic glial currents are very small, their spatial and temporal integration might play an important role. I...
Source: e-Neuroforum - July 25, 2015 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
Erratum to: What types of neocortical GABAergic neurons do really exist?
(Source: e-Neuroforum)
Source: e-Neuroforum - July 16, 2015 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
TASK, TREK & amp; Co.: a mutable potassium channel family for diverse tasks in the brain
< h3 class= " a-plus-plus " > Abstract < /h3 > < p class= " a-plus-plus " > Discovered during the 1990s and in the beginning regarded as passive membrane pores, the family of two-pore domain potassium (K < sub class= " a-plus-plus " > 2P < /sub > )-channels initially received only little attention. Today the view on this channel family comprising 15 ubiquitously expressed members in mammals has greatly changed. K < sub class= " a-plus-plus " > 2P < /sub > -channels carry potassium outward current that counterbalances membrane depolarization and stabilizes the resting membrane potential. Thereby they are important regulator...
Source: e-Neuroforum - May 31, 2015 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
TASK, TREK & Co.: a mutable potassium channel family for diverse tasks in the brain
Abstract
Discovered during the 1990s and in the beginning regarded as passive membrane pores, the family of two-pore domain potassium (K2P)-channels initially received only little attention. Today the view on this channel family comprising 15 ubiquitously expressed members in mammals has greatly changed. K2P-channels carry potassium outward current that counterbalances membrane depolarization and stabilizes the resting membrane potential. Thereby they are important regulators for the excitability and the firing behaviour especially in neurons. The long list of modulating mechanisms underlines the channels...
Source: e-Neuroforum - May 28, 2015 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
Modulation of AMPA receptor function by auxiliary subunits
Abstract
AMPA receptors are ionotropic glutamate receptors that mediate the majority of fast excitatory transmission in the central nervous system. Their function depends not only on the composition of the subunits GluA1-4, but also on the interaction with auxiliary subunits. Several auxiliary subunits have been identified in proteomic analyses over the last years and we are beginning to understand the complex control of these proteins on physiological properties and membrane-transport of AMPA receptors. Auxiliary subunits such as TARPs, cornichons, and CKAMP44 influence receptor localization on the cell ...
Source: e-Neuroforum - May 22, 2015 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
What types of neocortical GABAergic neurons do really exist?
Abstract
The neocortex is regarded as the brain structure responsible for mediating higher brain functions, like conscious perception of sensory signals, learning and memory or programming of goal-directed behavior. Cortical circuits that enable these functions are formed by, first, a larger population of excitatory so-called principal cells (i.e., glutamatergic pyramidal cells; ca. 80–85 %), which issue long-distance projections, in addition to local recurrent collaterals, which form the major part of local cortical excitatory circuits. A second, smaller population of inhibitory also called local or ...
Source: e-Neuroforum - May 19, 2015 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
How the brain learns to listen: deafness and the bionic ear
Abstract
For the first time in the history of neuroscience, hearing allows to systematically investigate brain development with and without sensory experience in humans. This is given by the clinical success of the cochlear implant, a neuroprosthesis that can replace the non-functional inner ear. In recent years, auditory neuroscience investigated the neuronal mechanisms of learning, sensitive developmental periods and cross-modal reorganization in parallel in humans and animal models, with highly consistent outcomes. We learned that the brain undergoes a complex adaptation to deafness, both within and ou...
Source: e-Neuroforum - March 30, 2015 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
Evoking plasticity through sensory stimulation: Implications for learning and rehabilitation
Abstract
The gold standard for improving sensory, motor and or cognitive abilities is long-term training and practicing. Recent work, however, suggests that intensive training may not be necessary. Improved performance can be effectively acquired by a complementary approach in which the learning occurs in response to mere exposure to repetitive sensory stimulation. Such training-independent sensory learning (TISL), which has been intensively studied in the somatosensory system, induces in humans lasting changes in perception and neural processing, without any explicit task training. It has been suggested ...
Source: e-Neuroforum - March 24, 2015 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
Neuroforum and e-Neuroforum—The next step
(Source: e-Neuroforum)
Source: e-Neuroforum - March 17, 2015 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
Sound localization with microsecond precision in mammals: what is it we do not understand?
Abstract
The Jeffress model for the computation and encoding of interaural time differences (ITDs) is one of the most widely known theoretical models of a neuronal microcircuit. In archosaurs (birds and reptiles), several features envisioned by Jeffress in 1948 seem to be implemented, like a topographic map of space and axonal delay lines. In mammals, however, most of the model predictions could not be verified or have been disproved. This led to an ongoing competition of alternative models and hypothesis, which is not settled by far. Particularly the role of the feed-forward inhibitory inputs to the bina...
Source: e-Neuroforum - March 5, 2015 Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
