The type of neuronal activity required for circuit development is a matter of significant debate. We addressed this issue by analyzing the topographic organization of the olfactory bulb in transgenic mice engineered to have very little afferent spontaneous activity due to the over expression of the inwardly rectifying potassium channel Kir2.1 in the olfactory sensory neurons (Kir2.1 mice). In these conditions, the topography of the olfactory bulb was unrefined. Odor-evoked responses were readily recorded in glomeruli with reduced spontaneous afferent activity, although the functional maps were coarser than in controls and contributed to altered olfactory discrimination behavior. In addition, over expression of Kir2.1 in adults induced a regression of the already refined connectivity to an immature (i.e., coarser) status. Our data suggest that spontaneous activity plays a critical role not only in the development but also in the maintenance of the topography of the olfactory bulb and in sensory information processing.

Circuit formation and function in the olfactory bulb of mice with reduced spontaneous afferent activity

REDOLFI, NELLY;Pietra, Gianluca;Boccaccio, Anna Elisabetta;Menini, Anna;LODOVICHI, Claudia
2015-01-01

Abstract

The type of neuronal activity required for circuit development is a matter of significant debate. We addressed this issue by analyzing the topographic organization of the olfactory bulb in transgenic mice engineered to have very little afferent spontaneous activity due to the over expression of the inwardly rectifying potassium channel Kir2.1 in the olfactory sensory neurons (Kir2.1 mice). In these conditions, the topography of the olfactory bulb was unrefined. Odor-evoked responses were readily recorded in glomeruli with reduced spontaneous afferent activity, although the functional maps were coarser than in controls and contributed to altered olfactory discrimination behavior. In addition, over expression of Kir2.1 in adults induced a regression of the already refined connectivity to an immature (i.e., coarser) status. Our data suggest that spontaneous activity plays a critical role not only in the development but also in the maintenance of the topography of the olfactory bulb and in sensory information processing.
2015
35
1
146
160
http://www.jneurosci.org/content/35/1/146
Lorenzon, P; Redolfi, Nelly; Podolsky, Mj; Zamparo, I; Franchi, Sa; Pietra, Gianluca; Boccaccio, Anna Elisabetta; Menini, Anna; Murthy, Vn; Lodovichi, Claudia
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11767/14040
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