Astrocyte-derived modulation of olfaction

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Astrocytes are active components of the brain that have been shown to maintain and modulate neuronal performance. For this purpose, astrocytes are equipped with a variety of gliotransmitters, ion channels and receptors, most of which are linked to calcium signaling. Our preliminary results indicate that in the olfactory bulb, photostimulation of channelrhodopsin2-expressing astrocytes results in calcium signals in astrocytes and excitation of mitral cells, principal neurons in the olfactory bulb. The main purpose of the project is to demonstrate how optogenetic stimulation of astrocytes affects neuronal performance in the mouse olfactory bulb, thereby modulating odor information processing and finally olfactory behavior. The results of the project will contribute to our basal knockledge about the role of glial cells in sensory information processing, a novel and rapidly growing field in neuroscience.