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Unique functional properties of somatostatin-expressing GABAergic neurons in mouse barrel cortex.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Gentet, LJ; Kremer, Y; Taniguchi, H; Huang, ZJ; Staiger, JF; Petersen, CCH
Published in: Nat Neurosci
February 26, 2012

Neocortical GABAergic neurons have diverse molecular, structural and electrophysiological features, but the functional correlates of this diversity are largely unknown. We found unique membrane potential dynamics of somatostatin-expressing (SOM) neurons in layer 2/3 of the primary somatosensory barrel cortex of awake behaving mice. SOM neurons were spontaneously active during periods of quiet wakefulness. However, SOM neurons hyperpolarized and reduced action potential firing in response to both passive and active whisker sensing, in contrast with all other recorded types of nearby neurons, which were excited by sensory input. Optogenetic inhibition of SOM neurons increased burst firing in nearby excitatory neurons. We hypothesize that the spontaneous activity of SOM neurons during quiet wakefulness provides a tonic inhibition to the distal dendrites of excitatory pyramidal neurons. Conversely, the inhibition of SOM cells during active cortical processing likely enhances distal dendritic excitability, which may be important for top-down computations and sensorimotor integration.

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Published In

Nat Neurosci

DOI

EISSN

1546-1726

Publication Date

February 26, 2012

Volume

15

Issue

4

Start / End Page

607 / 612

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Vibrissae
  • Somatostatin
  • Somatosensory Cortex
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice
  • Membrane Potentials
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • GABAergic Neurons
 

Citation

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Gentet, L. J., Kremer, Y., Taniguchi, H., Huang, Z. J., Staiger, J. F., & Petersen, C. C. H. (2012). Unique functional properties of somatostatin-expressing GABAergic neurons in mouse barrel cortex. Nat Neurosci, 15(4), 607–612. https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.3051
Gentet, Luc J., Yves Kremer, Hiroki Taniguchi, Z Josh Huang, Jochen F. Staiger, and Carl C. H. Petersen. “Unique functional properties of somatostatin-expressing GABAergic neurons in mouse barrel cortex.Nat Neurosci 15, no. 4 (February 26, 2012): 607–12. https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.3051.
Gentet LJ, Kremer Y, Taniguchi H, Huang ZJ, Staiger JF, Petersen CCH. Unique functional properties of somatostatin-expressing GABAergic neurons in mouse barrel cortex. Nat Neurosci. 2012 Feb 26;15(4):607–12.
Gentet, Luc J., et al. “Unique functional properties of somatostatin-expressing GABAergic neurons in mouse barrel cortex.Nat Neurosci, vol. 15, no. 4, Feb. 2012, pp. 607–12. Pubmed, doi:10.1038/nn.3051.
Gentet LJ, Kremer Y, Taniguchi H, Huang ZJ, Staiger JF, Petersen CCH. Unique functional properties of somatostatin-expressing GABAergic neurons in mouse barrel cortex. Nat Neurosci. 2012 Feb 26;15(4):607–612.

Published In

Nat Neurosci

DOI

EISSN

1546-1726

Publication Date

February 26, 2012

Volume

15

Issue

4

Start / End Page

607 / 612

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Vibrissae
  • Somatostatin
  • Somatosensory Cortex
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice
  • Membrane Potentials
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • GABAergic Neurons