Diversity of K+ Currents in identified central neurons of the insect olfactory system

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In insects the antennal lobe (AL) is the first synaptic relay that processes olfactory information. Due to the many striking similarities in structural organization and physiological function with the vertebrate olfactory system, the AL has served as an extremely successful general model for olfactory information processing. In the AL a diverse population of central neurons helps to process, structure and spatially represent olfactory information. In Periplaneta americana, for example, we identified sub-types of local interneurons with distinct morphological and intrinsic electrophysiological properties, implying that these neurons serve distinct functions in the olfactory system. Here we propose to analyze the cell type specific sets of voltage and Ca2+ activated K+ currents that play an essential role in determining the intrinsic firing characteristics and synaptic properties. We consider the characterization of the ionic currents, which determine the intrinsic electrophysiological properties, as an important step to understand the cellular basis of olfactory information processing on the single cell level.