Optophysiological analysis of pattern classification strategies in the zebrafish olfactory bulb

..............................................................................................................7 Introduction.........................................................................................................8 Pattern classification: A common problem for sensory systems...............8 Functional organization and pattern classification in the olfactory system ..........................................................................................................................9 Attractor states as a potential pattern classificator in the OB neural network ..........................................................................................................12 Aim of this study ...........................................................................................15 Material and Methods .......................................................................................16 Animals, dye loading and odor stimulation. ...............................................16 Temporally deconvolved calcium imaging of MC activity. ........................17 Calcium imaging of glomerular activation patterns. ..................................19 Data Analysis.................................................................................................20 Results...............................................................................................................23 Responses of individual MCs to different odor concentrations ...............23 Concentration-dependence of population activity patterns ......................25 Representation of binary odor mixtures .....................................................30 Abrupt transitions between representations during odor morphing in MC populations....................................................................................................32 Pattern classification is mediated by coordinated responses of mitral cell subsets...........................................................................................................47 Discussion.........................................................................................................53 Summary........................................................................................................53 Concentration-invariance of odor representations in the OB ...................53 Pattern separation in the OB........................................................................54 Functional implications of pattern classification .......................................57 Outlook...........................................................................................................59 References.........................................................................................................61