TY - JOUR
T1 - Chemical synaptic transmission onto superficial stellate cells of the mouse dorsal cochlear nucleus
AU - Apostolides, Pierre F.
AU - Trussell, Laurence O.
PY - 2014/5/1
Y1 - 2014/5/1
N2 - The dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) is a cerebellum-like auditory brain stem region whose functions include sound localization and multisensory integration. Although previous in vivo studies have shown that glycinergic and GABAergic inhibition regulate the activity of several DCN cell types in response to sensory stimuli, data regarding the synaptic inputs onto DCN inhibitory interneurons remain limited. Using acute DCN slices from mice, we examined the properties of excitatory and inhibitory synapses onto the superficial stellate cell, a poorly understood cell type that provides inhibition to DCN output neurons (fusiform cells) as well as to local inhibitory interneurons (cartwheel cells). Excitatory synapses onto stellate cells activated both NMDA receptors and fast-gating, Ca2+-permeable AMPA receptors. Inhibition onto superficial stellate cells was mediated by glycine and GABAA receptors with different temporal kinetics. Paired recordings revealed that superficial stellate cells make reciprocal synapses and autapses, with a connection probability of _18-20%. Unexpectedly, superficial stellate cells co-released both glycine and GABA, suggesting that cotransmission may play a role in fine-tuning the duration of inhibitory transmission.
AB - The dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) is a cerebellum-like auditory brain stem region whose functions include sound localization and multisensory integration. Although previous in vivo studies have shown that glycinergic and GABAergic inhibition regulate the activity of several DCN cell types in response to sensory stimuli, data regarding the synaptic inputs onto DCN inhibitory interneurons remain limited. Using acute DCN slices from mice, we examined the properties of excitatory and inhibitory synapses onto the superficial stellate cell, a poorly understood cell type that provides inhibition to DCN output neurons (fusiform cells) as well as to local inhibitory interneurons (cartwheel cells). Excitatory synapses onto stellate cells activated both NMDA receptors and fast-gating, Ca2+-permeable AMPA receptors. Inhibition onto superficial stellate cells was mediated by glycine and GABAA receptors with different temporal kinetics. Paired recordings revealed that superficial stellate cells make reciprocal synapses and autapses, with a connection probability of _18-20%. Unexpectedly, superficial stellate cells co-released both glycine and GABA, suggesting that cotransmission may play a role in fine-tuning the duration of inhibitory transmission.
KW - Auditory
KW - Cochlear nucleus
KW - Inhibition
KW - Interneuron
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84900828833&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84900828833&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1152/jn.00821.2013
DO - 10.1152/jn.00821.2013
M3 - Article
C2 - 24523517
AN - SCOPUS:84900828833
SN - 0022-3077
VL - 111
SP - 1812
EP - 1822
JO - Journal of neurophysiology
JF - Journal of neurophysiology
IS - 9
ER -