Network oscillation rules imposed by species-specific electrical coupling.
Stefanos StagkourakisCarolina Thörn PérezArash HellysazRachida AmmariChristian BrobergerPublished in: eLife (2018)
Electrical junctions are widespread within the mammalian CNS. Yet, their role in organizing neuronal ensemble activity remains incompletely understood. Here, in a functionally well-characterized system - neuroendocrine tuberoinfundibular dopamine (TIDA) neurons - we demonstrate a striking species difference in network behavior: rat TIDA cells discharge in highly stereotyped, robust, synchronized slow oscillations, whereas mouse oscillations are faster, flexible and show substantial cell-to-cell variability. We show that these distinct operational modes are explained by the presence of strong TIDA-TIDA gap junction coupling in the rat, and its complete absence in the mouse. Both species, however, encompass a similar heterogeneous range of intrinsic resonance frequencies, suggesting similar network building blocks. We demonstrate that gap junctions select and impose the slow network rhythm. These data identify a role for electrical junctions in determining oscillation frequency and show how related species can rely on distinct network strategies to accomplish adaptive control of hormone release.
Keyphrases
- single molecule
- high frequency
- single cell
- oxidative stress
- cell therapy
- induced apoptosis
- working memory
- atrial fibrillation
- stem cells
- room temperature
- genetic diversity
- blood brain barrier
- mesenchymal stem cells
- spinal cord injury
- cell proliferation
- machine learning
- cell death
- brain injury
- energy transfer
- deep learning
- ionic liquid
- pi k akt
- solid state