QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

HOME  |   SEARCH  |   ARCHIVE  |   SUBSCRIBE  |   CONTACT  |   HELP

The Journal of Neuroscience, October 8, 2003, 23(27):9246-9253

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (31) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Su, H. Articles by O'Dowd, D. K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Su, H. Articles by O'Dowd, D. K.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Development/Plasticity/Repair
Fast Synaptic Currents in Drosophila Mushroom Body Kenyon Cells Are Mediated by -Bungarotoxin-Sensitive Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors and Picrotoxin-Sensitive GABA Receptors

Hailing Su and Diane K. O'Dowd

Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-1280

The mushroom bodies, bilaterally symmetric regions in the insect brain, play a critical role in olfactory associative learning. Genetic studies in Drosophila suggest that plasticity underlying acquisition and storage of memory occurs at synapses on the dendrites of mushroom body Kenyon cells (Dubnau et al., 2001). Additional exploration of the mechanisms governing synaptic plasticity contributing to these aspects of olfactory associative learning requires identification of the receptors that mediate fast synaptic transmission in Kenyon cells. To this end, we developed a culture system that supports the formation of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic connections between neurons harvested from the central brain region of late-stage Drosophila pupae. Mushroom body Kenyon cells are identified as small-diameter, green fluorescent protein-positive (GFP+) neurons in cultures from OK107-GAL4;UAS-GFP pupae. In GFP+ Kenyon cells, fast EPSCs are mediated by -bungarotoxin-sensitive nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). The miniature EPSCs have rapid rise and decay kinetics and a broad, positively skewed amplitude distribution. Fast IPSCs are mediated by picrotoxin-sensitive chloride conducting GABA receptors. The miniature IPSCs also have a rapid rate of rise and decay and a broad amplitude distribution. The vast majority of spontaneous synaptic currents in the cultured Kenyon cells are mediated by-bungarotoxin-sensitive nAChRs or picrotoxin-sensitive GABA receptors. Therefore, these receptors are also likely to mediate synaptic transmission in Kenyon cells in vivo and to contribute to plasticity during olfactory associative learning.

Key words: Drosophila; Kenyon cells; mushroom bodies; synaptic transmission; mEPSCs; mIPSCs; cholinergic; GABAergic

---

Received June 10, 2003; revised August 27, 2003; accepted August 29, 2003.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. Gu, S. A. Jiang, J. M. Campusano, J. Iniguez, H. Su, A. A. Hoang, M. Lavian, X. Sun, and D. K. O'Dowd Cav2-Type Calcium Channels Encoded by cac Regulate AP-Independent Neurotransmitter Release at Cholinergic Synapses in Adult Drosophila Brain J Neurophysiol, January 1, 2009; 101(1): 42 - 53. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Vijayakrishnan, E. A. Woodruff III, and K. Broadie Rolling blackout is required for bulk endocytosis in non-neuronal cells and neuronal synapses J. Cell Sci., January 1, 2009; 122(1): 114 - 125. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Aoki, K. Kosakai, and M. Yoshino Monoaminergic Modulation of the Na+-Activated K+ Channel in Kenyon Cells Isolated From the Mushroom Body of the Cricket (Gryllus bimaculatus) Brain J Neurophysiol, September 1, 2008; 100(3): 1211 - 1222. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I-F. Peng and C.-F. Wu Differential Contributions of Shaker and Shab K+ Currents to Neuronal Firing Patterns in Drosophila J Neurophysiol, January 1, 2007; 97(1): 780 - 794. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Gu and D. K. O'Dowd Cholinergic Synaptic Transmission in Adult Drosophila Kenyon Cells In Situ J. Neurosci., January 4, 2006; 26(1): 265 - 272. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. I. Wilson and G. Laurent Role of GABAergic Inhibition in Shaping Odor-Evoked Spatiotemporal Patterns in the Drosophila Antennal Lobe J. Neurosci., October 5, 2005; 25(40): 9069 - 9079. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. A. Jiang, J. M. Campusano, H. Su, and D. K. O'Dowd Drosophila Mushroom Body Kenyon Cells Generate Spontaneous Calcium Transients Mediated by PLTX-Sensitive Calcium Channels J Neurophysiol, July 1, 2005; 94(1): 491 - 500. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Gasque, P. Labarca, E. Reynaud, and A. Darszon Shal and Shaker Differential Contribution to the K+ Currents in the Drosophila Mushroom Body Neurons J. Neurosci., March 2, 2005; 25(9): 2348 - 2358. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. G. Wustenberg, M. Boytcheva, B. Grunewald, J. H. Byrne, R. Menzel, and D. A. Baxter Current- and Voltage-Clamp Recordings and Computer Simulations of Kenyon Cells in the Honeybee J Neurophysiol, October 1, 2004; 92(4): 2589 - 2603. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Wang, H.-F. Guo, T. A. Pologruto, F. Hannan, I. Hakker, K. Svoboda, and Y. Zhong Stereotyped Odor-Evoked Activity in the Mushroom Body of Drosophila Revealed by Green Fluorescent Protein-Based Ca2+ Imaging J. Neurosci., July 21, 2004; 24(29): 6507 - 6514. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help