Examining the influence of pyramidal neuron progenitor type on cortical subnetworks

The precise synaptic connectivity between cortical neurons determines how infor- mation is integrated and processed by the mammalian cortex. In somatosensory cortex, for example, excitatory and inhibitory cell types form fine-scale synaptic circuits, which integrate feedforward sensory information w...

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Main Author: Gothard, G
Other Authors: Akerman, C
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: 2023
Subjects:
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author Gothard, G
author2 Akerman, C
author_facet Akerman, C
Gothard, G
author_sort Gothard, G
collection OXFORD
description The precise synaptic connectivity between cortical neurons determines how infor- mation is integrated and processed by the mammalian cortex. In somatosensory cortex, for example, excitatory and inhibitory cell types form fine-scale synaptic circuits, which integrate feedforward sensory information with feedback contextual information. The principles by which excitatory and inhibitory neurons are arranged into functional circuits, however, remain unknown. Recent evidence suggests that an excitatory cortical neuron’s synaptic connectivity and functional properties can reflect the progenitor type from which the neuron is derived during embryonic de- velopment. By combining longitudinal in utero lineage labelling techniques with patch-clamp electrophysiology in mature cortex, I test whether progenitor type in- fluences the local synaptic inhibition and cortical feedback received by excitatory pyramidal neurons in layer 2/3 (L2/3) of mouse somatosensory cortex. Firstly, I find that progenitor type predicts a L2/3 pyramidal neuron’s inhibitory synaptic activity in vivo. Secondly, I find that L2/3 pyramidal neuron progenitor type is not associated with different amounts of inhibition from interneuron subtypes. Rather, progenitor type defines how much inhibitory synaptic input a L2/3 pyramidal neuron shares with its neighbours. Consistent with this, interneurons target neighbouring pyramidal neurons based on the post-synaptic neuron’s progenitor type. Finally, I find that progenitor type predicts the degree to which L2/3 pyramidal neurons are recruited by long-range excitatory feedback from primary motor cortex. These ob- servations reveal new significance for progenitor diversity and identify ontogenetic mechanisms underlying fine-scale inhibitory subnetworks and long-range feedback circuits in cortex.
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spelling oxford-uuid:8920c691-196d-479b-9b88-f6eb97b3d5d72024-06-03T13:45:26ZExamining the influence of pyramidal neuron progenitor type on cortical subnetworksThesishttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_db06uuid:8920c691-196d-479b-9b88-f6eb97b3d5d7NeuroscienceEnglishHyrax Deposit2023Gothard, GAkerman, CMahfooz, KPacker, AThe precise synaptic connectivity between cortical neurons determines how infor- mation is integrated and processed by the mammalian cortex. In somatosensory cortex, for example, excitatory and inhibitory cell types form fine-scale synaptic circuits, which integrate feedforward sensory information with feedback contextual information. The principles by which excitatory and inhibitory neurons are arranged into functional circuits, however, remain unknown. Recent evidence suggests that an excitatory cortical neuron’s synaptic connectivity and functional properties can reflect the progenitor type from which the neuron is derived during embryonic de- velopment. By combining longitudinal in utero lineage labelling techniques with patch-clamp electrophysiology in mature cortex, I test whether progenitor type in- fluences the local synaptic inhibition and cortical feedback received by excitatory pyramidal neurons in layer 2/3 (L2/3) of mouse somatosensory cortex. Firstly, I find that progenitor type predicts a L2/3 pyramidal neuron’s inhibitory synaptic activity in vivo. Secondly, I find that L2/3 pyramidal neuron progenitor type is not associated with different amounts of inhibition from interneuron subtypes. Rather, progenitor type defines how much inhibitory synaptic input a L2/3 pyramidal neuron shares with its neighbours. Consistent with this, interneurons target neighbouring pyramidal neurons based on the post-synaptic neuron’s progenitor type. Finally, I find that progenitor type predicts the degree to which L2/3 pyramidal neurons are recruited by long-range excitatory feedback from primary motor cortex. These ob- servations reveal new significance for progenitor diversity and identify ontogenetic mechanisms underlying fine-scale inhibitory subnetworks and long-range feedback circuits in cortex.
spellingShingle Neuroscience
Gothard, G
Examining the influence of pyramidal neuron progenitor type on cortical subnetworks
title Examining the influence of pyramidal neuron progenitor type on cortical subnetworks
title_full Examining the influence of pyramidal neuron progenitor type on cortical subnetworks
title_fullStr Examining the influence of pyramidal neuron progenitor type on cortical subnetworks
title_full_unstemmed Examining the influence of pyramidal neuron progenitor type on cortical subnetworks
title_short Examining the influence of pyramidal neuron progenitor type on cortical subnetworks
title_sort examining the influence of pyramidal neuron progenitor type on cortical subnetworks
topic Neuroscience
work_keys_str_mv AT gothardg examiningtheinfluenceofpyramidalneuronprogenitortypeoncorticalsubnetworks