In vitro conditioning induces morphological changes in Hermissenda type B photoreceptor

Short- and long-term synaptic plasticity are considered to be cellular substrates of learning and memory. The mechanisms underlying synaptic plasticity especially with respect to morphology, however, are not known. In vitro conditioning in molluscan preparations is a well established form of short-t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Neuroscience research 2002-08, Vol.43 (4), p.363-372
Main Authors: Kawai, Ryo, Horikoshi, Tetsuro, Yasuoka, Takashi, Sakakibara, Manabu
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
B photoreceptor
Conditioning (Psychology) - physiology
Electric Impedance
Electrophysiology
Hermissenda
In vitro conditioning
In Vitro Techniques
Input resistance
Light
Long-lasting depolarization
Microscopy, Confocal
Mollusca - physiology
Morphology
Neuronal Plasticity
Photic Stimulation - methods
Photoreceptor Cells, Invertebrate - physiology
Photoreceptor Cells, Invertebrate - radiation effects
Photoreceptor Cells, Invertebrate - ultrastructure
Synapses - physiology
Synaptic Transmission
Terminal branch arborization
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Summary:Short- and long-term synaptic plasticity are considered to be cellular substrates of learning and memory. The mechanisms underlying synaptic plasticity especially with respect to morphology, however, are not known. In vitro conditioning in molluscan preparations is a well established form of short-term synaptic plasticity. Five paired presentations of light and vestibular stimulation to the isolated nervous system of Hermissenda results in an increase in excitability of the identified neuron, the type B photoreceptor, indicated by 2 measures, an increase in the input resistance and a cumulative depolarization after the cessation of light stimulus recorded from the cell soma. The terminal branches of type B photoreceptors iontophoretically injected with fluorescent dye were analyzed using computer-aided 3-dimensional reconstruction of images obtained using a confocal microscope under ‘blind’ conditions. The terminal branches contracted along the centro-lateral axis within an hour after conditioning, paralleling the increase in neuronal excitability. These data suggest that in vitro conditioning in Hermissenda is a form of short-term synaptic plasticity that involves changes in macromolecular synthesis.
ISSN:0168-0102
1872-8111
DOI:10.1016/S0168-0102(02)00061-5