Specificity and Range of NO/cGMP Signaling in the CNS

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0077812TrimmerRANGE AND SPECIFICITY OF NO/CGMP SIGNALING IN THE CNS Pi Barry A. Trimmer, Tufts UniversityOne of the biggest challenges in biology is to understand how the brain produces thought and actions. It is clear that these processes depend on complex communication between nerve cells (neurons) through the secretion of specific chemicals called neurotransmitters. These chemical messages are non-nally detected and interpreted by receptor proteins on nearby cells. However, some neurons signal by the production of an unstable soluble gas, nitric oxide (NO). This unusual messenger was discovered only recently hence comparatively little is known about its role in the brain. This research project seeks to understand the special functions of nitric oxide when it is released from neurons. We have identified individual nitric oxide-producing and responding neurons in the living nervous system and our goal is to establish how they communicate. In particular, how far does nitric oxide spread in the brain and how is it targeted to specific neurons? These experiments use well-established electrophysiological methods together with a novel technology in which nitric oxide is localized using a fluorescent dye.Nitric oxide has important regulatory functions in the cardiovascular and immune systems but in the brain its ability to simultaneously contact vast numbers of neurons give it the potential to coordinate complex tasks. By exploring the mechanisms, specializations and limitations of nitric oxide signaling this research will help to understand how groups of neurons work together to produce appropriate behaviors.