Cell Body Ionic Currents

神经细胞的电活动是由细胞膜内的离子通道决定的。单个神经细胞的电兴奋性取决于表达的离子通道类型、离子通道的相对密度和绝对密度以及离子通道在细胞不同区域的空间分布。这些因子具有重要的功能意义，对这些因子的任何改变都可能是神经元可塑性的原因。软体动物的神经系统为神经回路和神经元可塑性的研究提供了一个重要的模型。本研究项目将探讨软体动物神经元在神经系统中处理信息的机制。电压和贴片钳夹的电生理方法将被用于研究膜离子通道的生物物理学，并绘制离子通道在细胞不同区域的空间分布。生物物理特性是由活动调节，如钙和钾的失活门控，将被检查，以帮助编码神经元活动的时间历史。视频荧光显微镜将用于研究细胞内钙信号的空间模式和细胞骨架的性质。本研究的结果将有助于理解神经元信息处理和神经元功能个性的特化。

Electrical activity of nerve cells is determined by ion channels found within the cell membrane. The electrical excitability of individual nerve cells depends upon the types of ion channels expressed, the relative and absolute densities, and the spatial distributions of ion channels in different regions of the cell. These factors have a functional significance and any modification to these factors could be a cause of neuronal plasticity. The molluscan nervous system provides an important model for the study of neural circuits and neuronal plasticity. This research project will investigate the mechanisms molluscan neurons use to process information in the nervous system. Electrophysiological methods of voltage and patch clamping will be utilized to study the biophysics of membrane ion channels and to map the spatial distribution of ion channels in different areas of the cell. Biophysical properties that are modulated by activity, such as the inactivation gating of calcium and potassium, will be examined to help encode the time history of neuronal activity. Video fluorescence microscopy will be used to study the spatial patterning of intracellular calcium signals and the nature of the cytoskeleton. Results of this study will contribute to the understanding of neuronal information processing and the specializations responsible for the functional individuality of neurons.