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Requirements for synaptically evoked plateau potentials in relay cells of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the mouse
Author(s) -
Dilger Emily K.,
Shin HeeSup,
Guido William
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the journal of physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.802
H-Index - 240
eISSN - 1469-7793
pISSN - 0022-3751
DOI - 10.1113/jphysiol.2010.202499
Subject(s) - excitatory postsynaptic potential , inhibitory postsynaptic potential , neuroscience , thalamus , retinal waves , lateral geniculate nucleus , biology , retinal , retinal ganglion cell , retina , intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells , biochemistry
Non‐technical summary In the developing visual system, spontaneous retinal activity plays an important role in the refinement of retinal ganglion cell projections to the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) of thalamus. How such changes are implemented remains unknown. Recordings of post‐synaptic dLGN cell activity suggest that plateau‐like, L‐type Ca 2+ channel‐mediated depolarizations figure prominently in remodelling. Plateaus are developmentally regulated and their incidence is controlled by the changing patterns of excitatory and inhibitory connections onto dLGN cells. At early ages there is a high degree of retinal convergence, and excitatory post‐synaptic events summate to produce depolarizations sufficient to activate plateaus. As these excitatory inputs are pruned and inhibitory connections emerge, the net excitatory drive is reduced and plateaus wane. Additionally, L‐type channels are highly expressed at young ages, and subunit disruptions resulting in decreased expression also affect the incidence of plateaus. These studies help elucidate the mechanisms underlying activity‐dependent refinement of sensory connections.