Functional Maturation of the First Synapse in Olfaction: Development and Adult Neurogenesis

By M. Grubb, A. Nissant, K. Murray, Pierre Marie Lledo. 2008

76 citations recorded by the source corpus.

The first synapse in olfaction undergoes considerable anatomical plasticity in both early postnatal development and adult neurogenesis, yet we know very little concerning its functional maturation at these times. Here, we used whole-cell recordings in olfactory bulb slices to describe olfactory nerve inputs to developing postnatal neurons and to maturing adult-born cells labeled with a GFP-encoding lentivirus. In both postnatal development and adult neurogenesis, the maturation of olfactory nerve synapses involved an increase in the relative contribution of AMPA over NMDA receptors, and a decrease in the contribution of NMDA receptors containing the NR2B subunit. These postsynaptic transformations, however, were not mirrored by presynaptic changes: in all cell groups, paired-pulse depression remained constant as olfactory nerve synapses matured. Although maturing cells may therefore offer, transiently, a functionally distinct connection for inputs from the nose, presynaptic function at the first olfactory connection remains remarkably constant in the face of considerable anatomical plasticity.

Subfields: Developmental Neuroscience, Materials Chemistry, Sensory Systems

How researchers see this paper

The researchers whose trusted networks rank it highest, strongest advocate first. Every researcher gets a different order.

In Developmental Neuroscience

1. Hongjun Song
2. Guo-li Ming
3. C. Greer
4. M. Whitman
5. Xin Duan
6. Cindy Y. Liu
7. Eunchai Kang
8. Shawn D. Burton

In Sensory Systems

1. Guo-li Ming
2. Hongjun Song
3. M. Whitman
4. Shawn D. Burton
5. C. Greer

Citations in the corpus

• Development of neural stem cell in the adult brain. (2008, background): “Second, systematic analysis of synaptic plasticity of glutamatergic synaptic inputs to newborn granule cells has identified a critical period when these neurons are four to six weeks old and exhibit NR2B-dependent enhanced long-term potentiation, which may instruct new neurons to refine their inputs”
• Adult neurogenesis and the olfactory system. (2009, background): “Among new PG cells, a small proportion display spontaneous excitatory synaptic currents, and a larger proportion respond to stimulation of the olfactory nerve (Belluzzi et al., 2003; Grubb et al., 2008).”
• Inhibitory circuits of the mammalian main olfactory bulb. (2017, background): “…excitatory postsynaptic input to PGCs is mediated by both AMPA receptors (AMPARs) and NMDA receptors (NMDARs) (De Saint Jan and Westbrook 2007; Grubb et al. 2008; Markopoulos et al. 2012; Murphy et al. 2004), consistent with the equal reduction of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic current…”