Analysis of Excitatory Microcircuitry in the Medial Entorhinal Cortex Reveals Cell-Type-Specific Differences

Neuron 68(6), pp. 1059-1066

Authors: Beed, P., Bendels, M.H.K., Wiegand, H.F., Leibold, C., Johenning, W. and D. Schmitz
Year: 2010
Source: Neuron 68(6), pp. 1059-1066
Link: http://www.cell.com/neuron/retrieve/pii/S0896627310010329

Abstract:
Highlights:
- Cell-type-specific intralaminar and interlaminar inputs for L2 MEC cells
- Ascending interlaminar inputs are organized in spatial clusters
- Input clusters for stellates (L2S) are narrower than for pyramids (L2P/L3P)
- Inputs to L3P but not L2P exhibit asymmetric medial offset to the cell's main axis

Summary:
Medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) plays an important role in physiological processes underlying navigation, learning, and memory. Excitatory cells in the different MEC layers project in a region-specific manner to the hippocampus. However, the intrinsic microcircuitry of the main excitatory cells in the superficial MEC layers is largely unknown. Using scanning photostimulation, we investigated the functional microcircuitry of two such cell types, stellate and pyramidal cells. We found cell-type-specific intralaminar and ascending interlaminar feedback inputs. The ascending interlaminar inputs display distinct organizational principles depending on the cell-type and its position within the superficial lamina: the spatial spread of inputs for stellate cells is narrower than for pyramidal cells, while inputs to pyramidal cells in layer 3, but not in layer 2, exhibit an asymmetric offset to the medial side of the cell's main axis. Differential laminar sources of excitatory inputs might contribute to the functional diversity of stellate and pyramidal cells.

Affiliation: Neuroscience Research Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany;
Neurophysics Group, Department of Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany;
Cluster of Excellence “NeuroCure”, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany;
Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Munich, Großhaderner Str. 2, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany;
Division of Neurobiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Großhaderner Str. 2, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany;
Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, Philippstr. 13, 10115 Berlin, Germany

Document Type: Research article
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2010.12.009

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