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PMID: 18622400 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Neurons born in the adult dentate gyrus form functional synapses with target cells.

Nature neuroscience ·Vol. 11 ·No. 8 ·2008-08-00 ·Pages 901-7

Toni N, Laplagne DA, Zhao C, Lombardi G, Ribak CE, Gage FH, Schinder AF

Abstract

Adult neurogenesis occurs in the hippocampus and the olfactory bulb of the mammalian CNS. Recent studies have demonstrated that newborn granule cells of the adult hippocampus are postsynaptic targets of excitatory and inhibitory neurons, but evidence of synapse formation by the axons of these cells is still lacking. By combining retroviral expression of green fluorescent protein in adult-born neurons of the mouse dentate gyrus with immuno-electron microscopy, we found output synapses that were formed by labeled terminals on appropriate target cells in the CA3 area and the hilus. Furthermore, retroviral expression of channelrhodopsin-2 allowed us to light-stimulate newborn granule cells and identify postsynaptic target neurons by whole-cell recordings in acute slices. Our structural and functional evidence indicates that axons of adult-born granule cells establish synapses with hilar interneurons, mossy cells and CA3 pyramidal cells and release glutamate as their main neurotransmitter.

MeSH Terms
Action Potentials/drug effects,physiology,radiation effects Animals Carrier Proteins/biosynthesis,genetics Dentate Gyrus/cytology,metabolism,virology Female GABA Antagonists/pharmacology Gene Transfer Techniques Genes, Reporter Glutamic Acid/metabolism Humans Interneurons/physiology,ultrastructure Light Luminescent Proteins/biosynthesis,genetics Mice Mice, Inbred C57BL Moloney murine leukemia virus/genetics Mossy Fibers, Hippocampal/metabolism,ultrastructure,virology Neurons/drug effects,physiology,radiation effects Organ Culture Techniques Patch-Clamp Techniques Photic Stimulation Presynaptic Terminals/physiology,ultrastructure Synapses/genetics,physiology,ultrastructure Synaptic Transmission/drug effects,physiology,radiation effects
Chemicals
Carrier Proteins GABA Antagonists Luminescent Proteins channelopsin-2, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Glutamic Acid
Authors & Affiliations
7 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Toni Nicolas
Laboratory of Genetics, Salk Institute, 10010 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.
Laplagne Diego A
Zhao Chunmei
Lombardi Gabriela
Ribak Charles E
Gage Fred H
Schinder Alejandro F
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Article Info
Journal
Nature neuroscience
Abbr.
Nat Neurosci
ISSN
1546-1726
DOI
10.1038/nn.2156
Published
2008-08-00
Epub
2008-00-11
Pages
901-7
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
9809671
PMCID
PMC2572641
Subset
IM
Grants
Howard Hughes Medical Institute · United States
NINDS NIH HHS · NS038331 · United States
NINDS NIH HHS · R01 NS038331 · United States
NINDS NIH HHS · R01 NS050217-04 · United States
NINDS NIH HHS · R01 NS050217 · United States
NINDS NIH HHS · NS050217 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1038/nn.2156 PMC Full Text View journal details
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