Principal Investigator Elly Nedivi
Surprisingly, we know little at the single cell level regarding the distribution of particular types of inputs onto any given cortical cell type. What is the cortical vs subcortical input source of excitatory synapses located across the dendritic arbor, and do their synaptic dynamics differ depending on this source? What is the specific interneuron type targeting inhibitory synapses located across the dendritic arbor, and do their synaptic dynamics differ depending on this source? Do inhibitory shaft synapses receive different inputs than inhibitory spine synapses? Their very different kinetics and response to visual deprivation, suggest that may be the case (Chen et al., Neuron 2012). Are inhibitory synapses receiving specific types of afferent inputs more likely to exhibit coordinated dynamics with excitatory synapses? My project uses in vivo multicolor two-photon microscopy and transgenic mouse lines to identify the afferent sources to synapses at different dendritic locales, determining whether synapses targeted by certain afferents are less or more dynamic, and whether their dynamics are coordinated.