Genetic elimination of GABAergic neurotransmission reveals two distinct pacemakers for spontaneous waves of activity in the developing mouse cortex.

Many structures of the mammalian CNS generate propagating waves of electrical activity early in development. These waves are essential to CNS development, mediating a variety of developmental processes, such as axonal outgrowth and pathfinding, synaptogenesis, and the maturation of ion channel and receptor properties. In the mouse cerebral cortex, waves of activity occur between embryonic day 18 and postnatal day 8 and originate in pacemaker circuits in the septal nucleus and the piriform cortex. Here we show that genetic knock-out of the major synthetic enzyme for GABA, GAD67, selectively eliminates the picrotoxin-sensitive fraction of these waves. The waves that remain in the GAD67 knock-out have a much higher probability of propagating into the dorsal neocortex, as do the picrotoxin-resistant fraction of waves in controls. Field potential recordings at the point of wave initiation reveal different electrical signatures for GABAergic and glutamatergic waves. These data indicate that: (1) there are separate GABAergic and glutamatergic pacemaker circuits within the piriform cortex, each of which can initiate waves of activity; (2) the glutamatergic pacemaker initiates waves that preferentially propagate into the neocortex; and (3) the initial appearance of the glutamatergic pacemaker does not require preceding GABAergic waves. In the absence of GAD67, the electrical activity underlying glutamatergic waves shows greatly increased tendency to burst, indicating that GABAergic inputs inhibit the glutamatergic pacemaker, even at stages when GABAergic pacemaker circuitry can itself initiate waves.

Relationship between individual neuron and network spontaneous activity in developing mouse cortex.

Spontaneous synchronous activity (SSA) that propagates as electrical waves is found in numerous central nervous system structures and is critical for normal development, but the mechanisms of generation of such activity are not clear. In previous work, we showed that the ventrolateral piriform cortex is uniquely able to initiate SSA in contrast to the dorsal neocortex, which participates in, but does not initiate, SSA (Lischalk JW, Easton CR, Moody WJ. Dev Neurobiol 69: 407-414, 2009). In this study, we used Ca(2+) imaging of cultured embryonic day 18 to postnatal day 2 coronal slices (embryonic day 17 + 1-4 days in culture) of the mouse cortex to investigate the different activity patterns of individual neurons in these regions. In the piriform cortex where SSA is initiated, a higher proportion of neurons was active asynchronously between waves, and a larger number of groups of coactive cells was present compared with the dorsal cortex. When we applied GABA and glutamate synaptic antagonists, asynchronous activity and cellular clusters remained, while synchronous activity was eliminated, indicating that asynchronous activity is a result of cell-intrinsic properties that differ between these regions. To test the hypothesis that higher levels of cell-autonomous activity in the piriform cortex underlie its ability to initiate waves, we constructed a conductance-based network model in which three layers differed only in the proportion of neurons able to intrinsically generate bursting behavior. Simulations using this model demonstrated that a gradient of intrinsic excitability was sufficient to produce directionally propagating waves that replicated key experimental features, indicating that the higher level of cell-intrinsic activity in the piriform cortex may provide a substrate for SSA generation.

Molecular tuning of sea anemone stinging.

Jellyfish and sea anemones fire single-use, venom-covered barbs to immobilize prey or predators. We previously showed that the anemone Nematostella vectensis uses a specialized voltage-gated calcium (CaV) channel to trigger stinging in response to synergistic prey-derived chemicals and touch (Weir et al., 2020). Here, we use experiments and theory to find that stinging behavior is suited to distinct ecological niches. We find that the burrowing anemone Nematostella uses uniquely strong CaV inactivation for precise control of predatory stinging. In contrast, the related anemone Exaiptasia diaphana inhabits exposed environments to support photosynthetic endosymbionts. Consistent with its niche, Exaiptasia indiscriminately stings for defense and expresses a CaV splice variant that confers weak inactivation. Chimeric analyses reveal that CaVß subunit adaptations regulate inactivation, suggesting an evolutionary tuning mechanism for stinging behavior. These findings demonstrate how functional specialization of ion channel structure contributes to distinct organismal behavior.

Molecular tuning of sea anemone stinging.

Jellyfish and sea anemones fire single-use, venom-covered barbs to immobilize prey or predators. We previously showed that the anemone Nematostella vectensis uses a specialized voltage-gated calcium (CaV) channel to trigger stinging in response to synergistic prey-derived chemicals and touch (Weir et al., 2020). Here we use experiments and theory to find that stinging behavior is suited to distinct ecological niches. We find that the burrowing anemone Nematostella uses uniquely strong CaV inactivation for precise control of predatory stinging. In contrast, the related anemone Exaiptasia diaphana inhabits exposed environments to support photosynthetic endosymbionts. Consistent with its niche, Exaiptasia indiscriminately stings for defense and expresses a CaV splice variant that confers weak inactivation. Chimeric analyses reveal that CaVß subunit adaptations regulate inactivation, suggesting an evolutionary tuning mechanism for stinging behavior. These findings demonstrate how functional specialization of ion channel structure contributes to distinct organismal behavior.

A molecular filter for the cnidarian stinging response.

All animals detect and integrate diverse environmental signals to mediate behavior. Cnidarians, including jellyfish and sea anemones, both detect and capture prey using stinging cells called nematocytes which fire a venom-covered barb via an unknown triggering mechanism. Here, we show that nematocytes from Nematostella vectensis use a specialized voltage-gated calcium channel (nCaV) to distinguish salient sensory cues and control the explosive discharge response. Adaptations in nCaV confer unusually sensitive, voltage-dependent inactivation to inhibit responses to non-prey signals, such as mechanical water turbulence. Prey-derived chemosensory signals are synaptically transmitted to acutely relieve nCaV inactivation, enabling mechanosensitive-triggered predatory attack. These findings reveal a molecular basis for the cnidarian stinging response and highlight general principles by which single proteins integrate diverse signals to elicit discrete animal behaviors.

Cooperative regulation by G proteins and Na(+) of neuronal GIRK2 K(+) channels.

G protein gated inward rectifier K(+) (GIRK) channels open and thereby silence cellular electrical activity when inhibitory G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are stimulated. Here we describe an assay to measure neuronal GIRK2 activity as a function of membrane-anchored G protein concentration. Using this assay we show that four Gßγ subunits bind cooperatively to open GIRK2, and that intracellular Na(+) - which enters neurons during action potentials - further amplifies opening mostly by increasing Gßγ affinity. A Na(+) amplification function is characterized and used to estimate the concentration of Gßγ subunits that appear in the membrane of mouse dopamine neurons when GABAB receptors are stimulated. We conclude that GIRK2, through its dual responsiveness to Gßγ and Na(+), mediates a form of neuronal inhibition that is amplifiable in the setting of excess electrical activity.

Comparison of spike parameters from optically identified GABAergic and glutamatergic neurons in sparse cortical cultures.

Primary neuronal cultures share many typical features with the in vivo situation, including similarities in distinct electrical activity patterns and synaptic network interactions. Here, we use multi-electrode array (MEA) recordings from spontaneously active cultures of wildtype and glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 (GAD67)-green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenic mice to evaluate which spike parameters differ between GABAergic interneurons and principal, putatively glutamatergic neurons. To analyze this question we combine MEA recordings with optical imaging in sparse cortical cultures to assign individual spikes to visually-identified single neurons. In our culture system, excitatory and inhibitory neurons are present at a similar ratio as described in vivo, and spike waveform characteristics and firing patterns are fully developed after 2 weeks in vitro. Spike amplitude, but not other spike waveform parameters, correlated with the distance between the recording electrode and the location of the assigned neuron's soma. Cluster analysis of spike waveform properties revealed no particular cell population that may be assigned to putative inhibitory or excitatory neurons. Moreover, experiments in primary cultures from transgenic GAD67-GFP mice, which allow optical identification of GABAergic interneurons and thus unambiguous assignment of extracellular signals, did not reveal any significant difference in spike timing and spike waveform parameters between inhibitory and excitatory neurons. Despite of our detailed characterization of spike waveform and temporal spiking properties we could not identify an unequivocal electrical parameter to discriminate between individual excitatory and inhibitory neurons in vitro. Our data suggest that under in vitro conditions cellular classifications of single neurons on the basis of their extracellular firing properties should be treated with caution.

A microfluidic microelectrode array for simultaneous electrophysiology, chemical stimulation, and imaging of brain slices.

In order to understand information processing in neural circuits, it is necessary to detect both electrical and chemical signaling with high spatial and temporal resolution. Although the primary currency of neural information processing is electrical, many of the downstream effects of the electrical signals on the circuits that generate them are dependent on activity-dependent increases in intracellular calcium concentration. It is therefore of great utility to be able to record electrical signals in neural circuits at multiple sites, while at the same time detecting optical signals from reporters of intracellular calcium levels. We describe here a microfluidic multi-electrode array (MMEA) capable of high-resolution extracellular recording from brain slices that is optically compatible with calcium imaging at single cell resolution. We show the application of the MMEA device to record waves of spontaneous activity in developing cortical slices and to perform multi-site extracellular recordings during simultaneous calcium imaging of activity. The MMEA has the unique capability to simultaneously allow focal electrical and chemical stimuli at different locations of the surface of a brain slice.

Rapid sequence magnetic resonance imaging in the assessment of children with hydrocephalus.

OBJECTIVE: Recent reports have shown the utility of rapid-acquisition magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the evaluation of children with hydrocephalus. Rapid sequence MRI (RS-MRI) acquires clinically useful images in seconds without exposing children to the risks of ionizing radiation or sedation. We review our experience with RS-MRI in children with shunts. METHODS: Overall image quality, cost, catheter visualization, motion artifact, and ventricular size were reviewed for all RS-MRI studies obtained at Seattle Children's Hospital during a 2-year period. Image acquisition time was 12-19 seconds, with sessions usually lasting less than 3 minutes. RESULTS: Image quality was very good or excellent in 94% of studies, whereas only one was graded as poor. Significant motion artifact was noted in 7%, whereas 77% had little or no motion artifact. Catheter visualization was good or excellent in 57%, poor in 36%, and misleading in 7%. Small ventricular size was correlated with poor catheter visualization (Spearman's ρ = 0.586; P < 0.00001). RS-MRI imaging cost ∼$650 more than conventional computed tomography (CT). CONCLUSIONS: Our study supports that RS-MRI is an adequate substitute that allows reduced use of CT imaging and resultant exposure to ionizing radiation. Catheter position visualization remains suboptimal when ventricles are small, but shunt malfunction can be adequately determined in most cases. The cost is significantly more than CT, but the potential for lifetime reduction in radiation exposure may justify this expense in children. Limitations include the risk of valve malfunction after repeated exposure to high magnetic fields and the need for reprogramming with many types of adjustable valves.