Synaptic Plasticity in vifro: Cell Culture Aplysia Neurons Mediating Short-Term Habituation and Sensitization Identified
نویسندگان
چکیده
The gill withdrawal reflex of the marine mollusk, Ap&u californica, shows habituation and sensitization, two simple forms of learning. In order to extend the cellular studies on synaptic plasticity underlying the changes in the reflex behavior, and to explore further the development of synaptic plasticity during synapse formation, we have sought to establish the neural circuit of the gill withdrawal reflex in vitro. We report here the reconstruction of the elementary gill withdrawal circuit in cell culture and find that the cells show short-term homosynaptic depression and heterosynaptic facilitation, the cellular mechanisms of habituation and sensitization, respectively.
منابع مشابه
Rapid development of synaptic connections and plasticity between sensory neurons and motor neurons of Aplysia in cell culture: implications for learning and regulation of synaptic strength.
We describe here the time course of functional synapse formation and of the development of short-term synaptic plasticity at Aplysia sensorimotor synapses in cell culture, as well as the effects of blocking protein synthesis or postsynaptic receptors on the development of synaptic transmission and plasticity. We find that synaptic responses can be elicited in 50% of sensory neuron-motor neuron ...
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