METHOD TO PROBE POSTSYNAPTIC MODIFICATIONS IN PLASTICITY

描述(摘自申请者的摘要)：这项“小额资助”旨在 开发一种快速、局部地在脑内应用神经递质的方法 片状制剂以激活单个树枝状物的方式 直插脊椎。这种方法可以用来区分突触前 从突触可塑性研究中的突触后行为，到绘制 谷氨酸受体的分布，并研究树突状细胞的兴奋性。 我们开发了一种从笼子里光诱导释放谷氨酸的方法 在组织培养条件下的化合物。此方法依赖于 单模光纤实现谷氨酸饱和浓度 在不到1毫秒的时间内到达下午3点。我们现在寻求应用这一方法 脑片的准备工作。

DESCRIPTION (Adapted from applicant's abstract): This 'small grant' seeks to develop a method to apply neurotransmitters rapidly and focally in brain slice preparations in such a manner as to activate individual dendritic spines directly. Such a method could be used to distinguish presynaptic from postsynaptic actions in studies of synaptic plasticity, to map the distribution of glutamate receptors, and to study dendritic excitability. We have developed a method for light-induced release of glutamate from caged compounds under tissue culture conditions. This method relies on single-mode optical fibers to achieve saturating concentrations of glutamate within a 3 pm Spot in less than 1 ms. We now seek to apply this methodology to the brain slice preparation.