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Age-dependent homeostatic plasticity of GABAergic signaling in developing retinal networks

Lookup NU author(s): Dr John Grady, James Van Coppenhagen, Professor Evelyne SernagorORCiD

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Abstract

Developing retinal ganglion cells fire in correlated spontaneous bursts, resulting in propagating waves with robust spatiotemporal features preserved across development and species. Here we investigate the effects of homeostatic adaptation on the circuits controlling retinal waves. Mouse retinal waves were recorded in vitro for up to 35 h with a multielectrode array in presence of the GABAA antagonist bicuculline, allowing us to obtain a precise, time-resolved characterization of homeostatic effects in this preparation. Experiments were performed at P4–P6, when GABAA signaling is depolarizing in ganglion cells, and at P7–P10, when GABAA signaling is hyperpolarizing. At all ages, bicuculline initially increased the wave sizes and other activity metrics. At P5–P6, wave sizes decreased toward control levels within a few hours while firing remained strong, but this ability to compensate disappeared entirely from P7 onwards. This demonstrates that homeostatic control of spontaneous retinal activity maintains specific network dynamic properties in an age-dependent manner, and suggests that the underlying mechanism is linked to GABAA signaling.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Hennig MH, Grady J, van Coppenhagen J, Sernagor E

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Journal of Neuroscience

Year: 2011

Volume: 31

Issue: 34

Pages: 12159-12164

Print publication date: 24/08/2011

Date deposited: 25/07/2014

ISSN (print): 0270-6474

ISSN (electronic): 1529-2401

Publisher: Society for Neuroscience

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3112-11.2011

DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3112-11.2011


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Funding

Funder referenceFunder name
Newcastle University Faculty of Medical Sciences Graduate School
090194/Z/09/ZWellcome Trust
EP/E002331/1Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
G0900425Medical Research Council

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