Function of adult generated olfactory bulb interneurons

成年嗅球（OB）通过新生的中间神经元（主要是肾小球神经元（GNs）和颗粒细胞（GCs））的整合经历了持续的重塑，而主要的二尖瓣细胞和簇状细胞保持稳定。这些成年出生的中间神经元在OB网络中的功能尚不完全清楚。这些中间神经元在OB回路中的最终目的地、它们的递质身份和神经化学特性方面表现出实质性的多样性，表明它们发挥不同的功能。为了更好地理解它们对嗅觉处理的独特贡献，我们提出了一项综合研究，分析成人生成的OB中间神经元的分子机制及其生理特性。我们的目标是：(1)了解GNs多巴胺能亚类的功能作用和调节其转换的分子机制；(2)利用新颖的追踪技术表征成人生成的神经元与其他OB中间神经元（特别是GNs）的突触连通性。

The adult olfactory bulb (OB) undergoes a continuous remodelling by way of integration of new-born interneurons, mainly glomerular neurons (GNs) and granule cells (GCs), whereas the principal mitral and tufted cells remain stable. The function of these adult-born interneurons in the OB network is not yet fully understood. These interneurons exhibit substantial diversity with respect to their final destination within the OB circuitry, their transmitter identity and neurochemical properties suggesting that they exert different functions. Here we propose a combined effort to analyse the molecular mechanisms responsible for the specification of adult generated OB interneurons and their physiological properties, in order to better understand their unique contribution to olfactory processing. In particular we aim at: (i) understanding the functional role of the dopaminergic subclass of GNs and the molecular mechanisms regulating their turnover and (ii) characterizing the synaptic connectivity of adult-generated neurons with other OB interneurons, in particular GNs, using novel tracing techniques.