STRUCTURE FUNCTION ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION PROCESSING IN SENSORY SYSTEMS

本文着重于结构功能分析 神经元突触前和突触后神经元之间的关系 映射的感觉系统 我们计划使用IVEM进行串行 重建初级传入和感觉中间神经元， 确定突触的位置、数量和类型 这些细胞。 我们还将使用3D重建， 断层扫描，以估计体积和功能尺寸 在两种细胞类型的特定解剖区域中的突触。 中间神经元特定区域的尺寸测量 将用于估计房室模型的膜表面积 建模研究。 由于这些细胞非常大， 重要的是对细胞的许多不同区域进行采样，传统的 薄切片显微镜将使这项任务非常耗时 也很困难 在IVEM中使用较厚切片的能力将 使我们能够迅速获得这些信息，并与必要的 精度 IVEM研究将补充正在进行的分析， 这个系统在光学显微镜的水平。 我们还计划使用 IVEM研究初级突触的形成和生长 在发育过程中和在特定环境中饲养的动物中， 刺激环境。 这个项目的工作曾短暂中断 雅各布和米勒博士搬到蒙大拿州建立新的 计算生物学中心，他们是共同主任。 尽管如此，我们已经开始分析荧光标记的 标本共聚焦显微镜，并希望扩大这种分析 在不久的将来，电子显微镜的水平。 另外我们 正在研究用于执行自动化反汇编的软件。

This work focuses on the analysis of structure function relationships between identified pre and postsynaptic neurons in a mapped sensory system. We plan to use the IVEM to do serial reconstructions of primary afferents and sensory interneurons to determine the location, number and type of synapses on and between these cells. We will also use 3-D reconstructions using serial tomography to estimate the volume and functional dimensions of synapses in specific anatomical regions of both cell types. Measurements of the dimensions of specific regions of interneurons will be used to estimate membrane surface area for compartmental modeling studies. Since these cells are quite large and it is important to sample many different areas of the cell, conventional thin section microscopy would make this task extremely time consuming and difficult. The ability to use thicker sections in the IVEM will enable us to obtain this information rapidly and with the necessary accuracy. The IVEM studies will compliment an ongoing analysis of this system at the light microscope level. We also plan to use the IVEM to study the formation and growth of new synapses on primary afferents during development and in animals reared in specific stimulus environments. Work on this project was interrupted briefly while Drs. Jacob and Miller moved to Montana to establish the new Center for Computational Biology, of which they are co-directors. Nevertheless, we have begun analysis of fluorescently labeled specimens on the confocal microscope and hope to extend this analysis to the electron microscopic level in the near future. In addition, we are investigating software for performing automated skeletonization.