Structure-Function relationship of identified insect olfactory projection neurones

触角叶的投射(输出)神经元是昆虫中枢嗅觉通路的关键组成部分。它们具有多种功能，包括1)整合触角叶内的嗅觉信息，2)将信息传递到前脑，以及3)专门将处理后的嗅觉信息分配到前脑内的特定位置。使用三维重建和建模工具Amira，我们的目标是从宿主网络环境中单个神经元的定量重建中推断出功能神经元和网络属性。这项工作将在大型健壮昆虫(美洲大熊猫)上进行，这是中枢嗅觉信息处理的生理学研究的极好准备。这项研究将集中于三个层次的分析：1)微电路水平(第一和更高阶嗅觉中心之间的接口)，2)微电路水平(第一和更高阶嗅觉中心内部)和3)亚细胞水平(单个神经元内的形态和功能划分)。为了实现这些目标，我们将构建一个嵌入在标准大脑中的中央嗅觉通路的数字3D参考地图集。这份参考图谱将作为一个计算框架，在其中将实施单个神经元的详细重建。细胞和亚细胞水平上的目标是建立嗅觉投射神经元的三维重建，为建立与邻近输入和输出神经元相关的定量/功能多室模型提供高分辨率的结构数据。

The projection (output) neurones of the antennal lobe are key components of the central olfactory pathway in insects. They have multiple functions, including 1) integrating olfactory information inside the antennal lobe, 2) conveying information to the protocerebrum, and 3) specifically distributing processed olfactory information to specific sites inside the protocerebrum. Using the 3-D reconstruction and modelling tool AMIRA we aim to deduct functional neurone and network properties from quantitative reconstructions of single neurones in the context of the host network. The work will be performed on large robust insects (Periplaneta americana) which are excellent preparations for physiological studies of central olfactory information processing. The study will focus on three levels of analysis: 1) The inter-microcircuit level (interface between first- and higher-order olfactory centres), 2) the microcircuit level (inside the first- and higher-order olfactory centres) and 3) the subcellular level (morphological and functional compartmentalisation inside a single neurone). To achieve these goals we will construct a digital 3-D reference atlas of the central olfactory pathway that is inlaid in a standard brain. This reference atlas will serve as a computational framework in which detailed reconstructions of single neurones will be implemented. The goal on the cellular and subcellular level is to build 3-D reconstructions of olfactory projection neurones to provide high-resolution structural data for building quantitative/functional multicompartment models that are correlated to the neighbouring input and output neurones.