Electrophysiology system to study novel regulators of synaptogenesis

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Our team has identified signaling molecules that rapidly promote the formation of new synaptic contacts between neurons and participate in the modulation of the strengths of existing synaptic connections in the brain. The classic technique for identifying and characterizing synaptic connections between brain cells is to perform electrophysiological recordings in which fine microelectrodes are introduced into the cells to permit the investigator to stimulate neural activity in the pre-synaptic partner while recording excitatory or inhibitory electrochemical responses evoked in the post-synaptic partner cell. The Ruthazer laboratory has established its expertise in using this technique to study the development and plasticity of synapses in the brain, including collaborative studies with the Kennedy laboratory. However, the critical equipment currently used for these studies in the laboratory is in extremely heavy demand by numerous members of both of our laboratories. It is nearly two decades old and seriously out-of-date -- the computer interface (SCSI) used in our existing system is no longer supported by the manufacturer. The equipment requested in this application would modernize this critical equipment in the lab and assure that it will continue to be available for this very promising collaboration as well as our overall research program for many years into the future.