scholarly journals Unspecific expression in limited excitatory cell populations in interneuron-targeting Cre-driver lines can have large functional effects

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Müller-Komorowska ◽  
Thoralf Opitz ◽  
Shehabeldin Elzoheiry ◽  
Michaela Schweizer ◽  
Heinz Beck
Keyword(s):  
Fluorescent Proteins ◽  
Pyramidal Cells ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Mouse Line ◽  
Cell Type Specificity ◽  
Functional Consequences ◽  
Ca3 Pyramidal Cells ◽  
Genetic Constructs ◽  
Mouse Lines

1AbstractTransgenic Cre-recombinase expressing mouse lines are widely used to express fluorescent proteins and opto-/chemogenetic actuators, making them a cornerstone of modern neuroscience. Particularly, the investigation of interneurons has benefitted from the ability to target genetic constructs to defined cell types. However, the cell type specificity of some mouse lines has been called into questions. Here we show for the first time the functional consequences of unspecific expression in a somatostatin-Cre (SST-Cre) mouse line. We find large optogenetically evoked excitatory currents originating from unspecifically targeted CA3 pyramidal cells. We also used public Allen Brain Institute data to estimate expression specificity in other Cre lines. Another SST-Cre mouse lines shows comparable unspecificity, whereas a Parvalbumin-Cre mouse line shows much less unspecific expression. Finally, we make suggestions to ensure that the results from in-vivo use of Cre mouse lines are interpretable.

Generation of Slow Network Oscillations in the Developing Rat Hippocampus After Blockade of Glutamate Uptake

2007 ◽  
Vol 98 (4) ◽  
pp. 2324-2336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriano Augusto Cattani ◽  
Valérie Delphine Bonfardin ◽  
Alfonso Represa ◽  
Yehezkel Ben-Ari ◽  
Laurent Aniksztejn
Keyword(s):  
Nmda Receptors ◽  
Glutamate Uptake ◽  
Pyramidal Cells ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Proper Function ◽  
Network Oscillations ◽  
Bath Application ◽  
Hippocampal Network

Cell-surface glutamate transporters are essential for the proper function of early cortical networks because their dysfunction induces seizures in the newborn rat in vivo. We have now analyzed the consequences of their inhibition by dl-TBOA on the activity of the developing CA1 rat hippocampal network in vitro. dl-TBOA generated a pattern of recurrent depolarization with an onset and decay of several seconds' duration in interneurons and pyramidal cells. These slow network oscillations (SNOs) were mostly mediated by γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in pyramidal cells and by GABA and N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in interneurons. However, in both cell types SNOs were blocked by NMDA receptor antagonists, suggesting that their generation requires a glutamatergic drive. Moreover, in interneurons, SNOs were still generated after the blockade of NMDA-mediated synaptic currents with MK-801, suggesting that SNOs are expressed by the activation of extrasynaptic NMDA receptors. Long-lasting bath application of glutamate or NMDA failed to induce SNOs, indicating that they are generated by periodic but not sustained activation of NMDA receptors. In addition, SNOs were observed in interneurons recorded in slices with or without the strata pyramidale and oriens, suggesting that the glutamatergic drive may originate from the radiatum and pyramidale strata. We propose that in the absence of an efficient transport of glutamate, the transmitter diffuses in the extracellular space to activate extrasynaptic NMDA receptors preferentially present on interneurons that in turn activate other interneurons and pyramidal cells. This periodic neuronal coactivation may contribute to the generation of seizures when glutamate transport dysfunction is present.

scholarly journals Functional Consequences of Presynaptic Inhibition During Behaviorally Relevant Activity

2006 ◽  
Vol 96 (4) ◽  
pp. 2139-2143 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Frerking ◽  
P. Ohliger-Frerking
Keyword(s):  
Presynaptic Inhibition ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Pyramidal Cells ◽  
Neuronal Responses ◽  
Pass Filter ◽  
Behavioral Cues ◽  
Functional Consequences ◽  
Ca3 Pyramidal Cells ◽  
Analytical Approaches ◽  
High Pass

Presynaptic inhibition is a widespread mechanism for regulating transmitter release in the CNS. Presynaptic inhibitors act as a high-pass filter, but the functional consequence of this filtering during the synaptic processing of behaviorally relevant activity remains unknown. Here we use analytical approaches to examine the effects of presynaptic inhibition on synaptic output in response to activity patterns from CA3 pyramidal cells during the performance of a complex behavioral task. We calculate that presynaptic inhibition enhances the contrast between background activity and responses to environmental cues and that neuronal responses to location are subject to stronger contrast enhancement than neuronal responses to olfactory information. Our analysis suggests that presynaptic inhibition also enhances the importance of integrative inputs that respond to many behavioral cues during the task at the expense of specific inputs that respond to only a few of these cues.

scholarly journals Transmission of tauopathy strains is independent of their isoform composition

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhuohao He ◽  
Jennifer D. McBride ◽  
Hong Xu ◽  
Lakshmi Changolkar ◽  
Soo-jung Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Brain ◽  
Transgenic Mouse ◽  
Mouse Line ◽  
Cell Type ◽  
Transgenic Mouse Line ◽  
Adult Human ◽  
Tau Isoforms ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Mouse Lines

AbstractThe deposition of pathological tau is a common feature in several neurodegenerative tauopathies. Although equal ratios of tau isoforms with 3 (3R) and 4 (4R) microtubule-binding repeats are expressed in the adult human brain, the pathological tau from different tauopathies have distinct isoform compositions and cell type specificities. The underlying mechanisms of tauopathies are unknown, partially due to the lack of proper models. Here, we generate a new transgenic mouse line expressing equal ratios of 3R and 4R human tau isoforms (6hTau mice). Intracerebral injections of distinct human tauopathy brain-derived tau strains into 6hTau mice recapitulate the deposition of pathological tau with distinct tau isoform compositions and cell type specificities as in human tauopathies. Moreover, through in vivo propagation of these tau strains among different mouse lines, we demonstrate that the transmission of distinct tau strains is independent of strain isoform compositions, but instead intrinsic to unique pathological conformations.

scholarly journals Techniques for visualizing fibroblast-vessel interactions in the developing and adult CNS

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah E Jones ◽  
Kelsey A Abrams ◽  
Julie A Siegenthaler
Keyword(s):  
Choroid Plexus ◽  
Transcriptional Profiling ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Perivascular Spaces ◽  
Mouse Line ◽  
Whole Mount ◽  
Staining Methods ◽  
Proliferation Assays ◽  
Different Cell Types

Fibroblasts are found associated with blood vessels in various locations across the CNS: in the meninges, the choroid plexus, and in the parenchyma within perivascular spaces. CNS fibroblasts have been characterized using transcriptional profiling and a Col1a1-GFP mouse line used to identify CNS fibroblasts in vivo. However, current methods for visualizing CNS fibroblasts are lacking and, in particular, prevent adequate assessment of fibroblast-vessel interactions. Here, we describe methods for whole mount visualization of meningeal and choroid plexus fibroblasts, and optical tissue clearing methods for visualization of parenchymal vessel-associated fibroblasts. Importantly, these techniques can be combined with immunohistochemistry methods for labeling different cell types in the meninges and blood vasculature as well as EdU-based cell proliferation assays. These methods are ideal for visualization of vessel-fibroblast interactions in these CNS structures and provide significant improvement over traditional sectioning and staining methods. We expect these methods will advance studies of CNS fibroblast development and functions in homeostasis, injury, and disease.

scholarly journals Efficient generation of endogenous protein reporters for mouse preimplantation embryos

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan O’Hagan ◽  
Amy Ralston
Keyword(s):  
High Efficiency ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Fluorescent Proteins ◽  
Protein Localization ◽  
Preimplantation Embryos ◽  
List Type ◽  
Gene Coding ◽  
Endogenous Protein ◽  
Mouse Lines

SummaryFluorescent proteins and epitope tags can reveal protein localization in cells and animals. However, the large size of many tags hinders efficient genome targeting. Accordingly, many studies have relied on characterizing overexpressed proteins, which might not recapitulate endogenous protein activities. We present two approaches for higher throughput production of endogenous protein reporters. Our first approach makes use of a split fluorescent protein mNeonGreen2 (mNG2). Knock-in of a small portion of the mNG2 gene, in frame with gene coding regions of interest was highly efficient in embryos, eliminating the need to establish mouse lines. When complemented by the larger portion of the mNG2 gene, fluorescence was reconstituted and endogenous protein localization faithfully reported in living embryos. However, we report a threshold of detection using this approach. By contrast, the V5 epitope enabled high efficiency and higher sensitivity protein reporting. We describe complementary advantages and prospective applications of these two approaches.HighlightsSplit fluorescent protein for in vivo protein localization in living embryosV5 tagging for in vivo localization of low abundance proteinsBypassing the need for founder mouse lines for preimplantation studiesGuidelines and strategies for implementation and prospective applications

scholarly journals Single-Cell Techniques Using Chromosomally Tagged Fluorescent Bacteria To Study Listeria monocytogenes Infection Processes

2010 ◽  
Vol 76 (11) ◽  
pp. 3625-3636 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damien Balestrino ◽  
M�lanie Anne Hamon ◽  
Laurent Dortet ◽  
Marie-Anne Nahori ◽  
Javier Pizarro-Cerda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
Fluorescent Proteins ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Intracellular Replication ◽  
Infectious Process ◽  
Infection Processes

ABSTRACT Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive facultative intracellular pathogen which invades different cell types, including nonphagocytic cells, where it is able to replicate and survive. The different steps of the cellular infectious process have been well described and consist of bacterial entry, lysis of the endocytic vacuole, intracellular replication, and spreading to neighboring cells. To study the listerial infectious process, gentamicin survival assays, plaque formation, and direct microscopy observations are typically used; however, there are some caveats with each of these techniques. In this study we describe new single-cell techniques based on use of an array of integrative fluorescent plasmids (green, cyan, and yellow fluorescent proteins) to easily, rapidly, and quantitatively detect L. monocytogenes in vitro and in vivo. We describe construction of 13 integrative and multicopy plasmids which can be used for detecting intracellular bacteria, for measuring invasion, cell-to-cell spreading, and intracellular replication, for monitoring in vivo infections, and for generating transcriptional or translational reporters. Furthermore, we tested these plasmids in a variety of epifluorescence- and flow cytometry-based assays. We showed that we could (i) determine the expression of a particular promoter during the cell cycle, (ii) establish in one rapid experiment at which step in the cell cycle a particular mutant is defective, and (iii) easily measure the number of infected cells in vitro and in mouse organs. The plasmids that are described and the methods to detect them are new powerful tools to study host-Listeria interactions in a fast, robust, and high-throughput manner.

scholarly journals Targeted delivery of antisense oligonucleotides to pancreatic β-cells

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (10) ◽  
pp. eaat3386 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Ämmälä ◽  
W. J. Drury ◽  
L. Knerr ◽  
I. Ahlstedt ◽  
P. Stillemark-Billton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Targeted Delivery ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Cell Type Specificity ◽  
Β Cells ◽  
Pancreatic Β Cells ◽  
Glucagon Like Peptide 1 ◽  
Novel Therapeutic

Antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) silencing of the expression of disease-associated genes is an attractive novel therapeutic approach, but treatments are limited by the ability to deliver ASOs to cells and tissues. Following systemic administration, ASOs preferentially accumulate in liver and kidney. Among the cell types refractory to ASO uptake is the pancreatic insulin-secreting β-cell. Here, we show that conjugation of ASOs to a ligand of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP1R) can productively deliver ASO cargo to pancreatic β-cells both in vitro and in vivo. Ligand-conjugated ASOs silenced target genes in pancreatic islets at doses that did not affect target gene expression in liver or other tissues, indicating enhanced tissue and cell type specificity. This finding has potential to broaden the use of ASO technology, opening up novel therapeutic opportunities, and presents an innovative approach for targeted delivery of ASOs to additional cell types.

scholarly journals Tau Seeding Mouse Models with Patient Brain-Derived Aggregates

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 6132
Author(s):  
Aiko Robert ◽  
Michael Schöll ◽  
Thomas Vogels
Keyword(s):  
Cell Types ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Transgenic Animal ◽  
Tau Proteins ◽  
Tau Pathology ◽  
Cell Type Specificity ◽  
Transgenic Animal Models ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Functional Consequences ◽  
Human Brains

Tauopathies are a heterogeneous class of neurodegenerative diseases characterized by intracellular inclusions of aggregated tau proteins. Tau aggregates in different tauopathies have distinct structural features and can be found in different cell types. Transgenic animal models overexpressing human tau have been used for over two decades in the research of tau pathology. However, these models poorly recapitulate the heterogeneity of tauopathies found in human brains. Recent findings demonstrate that injection of purified tau aggregates from the brains of human tauopathy patients recapitulates both the structural features and cell-type specificity of the tau pathology of the donor tauopathy. These models may therefore have unique translational value in the study of functional consequences of tau pathology, tau-based diagnostics, and tau targeting therapeutics. This review provides an update of the literature relating to seeding-based tauopathy and their potential applications.

scholarly journals Complementary networks of cortical somatostatin interneurons enforce layer specific control

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Naka ◽  
Julia Veit ◽  
Ben Shababo ◽  
Rebecca K. Chance ◽  
Davide Risso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcriptional Profiling ◽  
Neuronal Cell ◽  
Gain Control ◽  
Pyramidal Cells ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
Sensory Data ◽  
Layer 4

AbstractThe neocortex is organized into discrete layers of excitatory neurons: layer 4 receives the densest ‘bottom up’ projection carrying external sensory data, while layers 2/3 and 5 receive ‘top down’ inputs from higher cortical areas that may convey sensory expectations and behavioral goals. A subset of cortical somatostatin (SST) neurons gate top down input and control sensory computation by inhibiting the apical dendrites of pyramidal cells in layers 2/3 and 5. However, it is unknown whether an analogous inhibitory mechanism separately and specifically controls activity in layer 4. We hypothesized that distinct SST circuits might exist to inhibit specific cortical layers. By enforcing layer-specific inhibition, distinct SST subnetworks could mediate pathway-specific gain control, such as regulating the balance between bottom up and top down input. Employing a combination of high precision circuit mapping, in vivo optogenetic perturbations, and single cell transcriptional profiling, we reveal distinct and complementary SST circuits that specifically and reciprocally interconnect with excitatory cells in either layer 4 or layers 2/3 and 5. Our data further define a transcriptionally distinct SST neuronal sub-class that powerfully gates bottom up sensory activity during active sensation by regulating layer 4 activity. This integrated paradigm further represents a potentially generalizable approach to identify and characterize neuronal cell types and reveal their in vivo function.

scholarly journals Deciphering how specialized interneuron-specific cell types contribute to circuit function

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre Guet-McCreight ◽  
Frances K Skinner
Keyword(s):  
Computational Models ◽  
Brain Area ◽  
Pyramidal Cells ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Specific Cell ◽  
Cell Type ◽  
Inhibitory Cell ◽  
Cell Firing ◽  
The Brain

AbstractThe wide diversity of inhibitory cells across the brain makes them fit to contribute to network dynamics in specialized fashions. However, the contributions of a particular inhibitory cell type in a behaving animal is challenging to decipher as one needs to both record cellular activities and identify the cell type being recorded. Thus, using computational modeling to explore cell-specific contributions so as to predict and hypothesize functional contributions is desirable. Here we examine potential contributions of interneuron-specific 3 (I-S3) cells - a type of inhibitory interneuron found in CA1 hippocampus that only targets other inhibitory interneurons - during simulated theta rhythms. We use previously developed multi-compartment models of oriens lacunosum-moleculare (OLM) cells, the main target of I-S3 cells, and explore how I-S3 cell inputs during in vitro and in vivo scenarios contribute to theta. We find that I-S3 cells suppress OLM cell spiking, rather than engender its spiking via post-inhibitory rebound mechanisms. To elicit recruitment similar to experiment, the inclusion of disinhibited pyramidal cell inputs is necessary, suggesting that I-S3 cell firing can broaden the window for disinhibiting pyramidal cells. Using in vivo virtual networks, we show that I-S3 cells can contribute to a sharpening of OLM cell recruitment at theta frequencies. Further, a shifting of the timing of I-S3 cell spiking due to external modulation can shift the timing of the OLM cell firing and thus disinhibitory windows. We thus propose a specialized contribution of I-S3 cells to create temporally precise coordination of modulation pathways.Significance StatementHow information is processed across different brain structures is an important question that relates to the different functions that the brain performs. In this work we use computational models that focus on a particular inhibitory cell type that only inhibits other inhibitory cell types – the I-S3 cell in the hippocampus. We show that this cell type is able to broaden the window for disinhibition of excitatory cells. We further illustrate that this broadening presents itself as a mechanism for input pathway switching and modulation over the timing of inhibitory cell spiking. Overall, this work contributes to our knowledge of how coordination between sensory and memory consolidation information is attained in a brain area that is involved in memory formation.

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