QBI International Leaders in Neuroscience Seminar: 'Visualizing molecular events in synapse formation in vivo'

Event Details

Date:

Tuesday, 23 April 2019 - Tuesday, 23 April 2019

Time:

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Room:

QBI Level 7 Auditorium

UQ Location:

Queensland Brain Institute (St Lucia)

URL:

http://www.qbi.uq.edu.au/neuroscience-seminars

Event category(s):

Full Description:: Professor Elly Nedivi
Dept of Brain & Cognitive Sciences
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA

Title: 'Visualizing molecular events in synapse formation in vivo'

Abstract: The introduction of two-photon microscopy for in vivo imaging has opened the door to chronic monitoring of individual neurons in the adult brain, and the study of structural plasticity mechanisms at a very fine scale. Perhaps the biggest contribution of this modern anatomical method has been the discovery that even across the stable excitatory dendritic scaffold there is significant capacity for synaptic remodeling, and that adjusting synapse strength and number are key mechanisms mediating neural circuit adaptation and behavioral plasticity in the adult. The activity-regulated gene cpg15/neuritin has been previously implicated in stabilization and maturation of excitatory synapses. We combined multicolor two-photon microscopy with genetic and sensory manipulations to delineate, in vivo, steps in synapse formation and maturation, and examine sufficiency and requirement for activity and CPG15 at these defined steps.