A research team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences has demonstrated a unique neural design
Using a model organism (mice),researchers were trying to identify a distinct transition in the development of the neural microcircuit in the ventromedial hypothalamus. They found that the early stage of its development is characterized by dense electrical coupling. In contrast, the adult ventromedial hypothalamus is characterized by sparse chemical synapses as well as robust neuropeptide transmission. The absence of chemical synapses was further observed in many other hypothalamic nuclei. This discrepancy has intrigued scientists.
As the authors of the new work note, their research will improve scientists' understanding of the functions of the hypothalamus. The work was published in the journal Current Biology.
The hypothalamus is a multinucleated structure, and the connections between them have been widely studied. However, the microcircuits in most hypothalamic nuclei have been studied to a lesser extent.
To fill this gap, researchersMade four-fold whole-body recordings using the method of local potential clamping on hypothalamic slices. They first found a high frequency of electrical connections between neurons during early development of the ventromedial hypothalamus, which gradually decreased thereafter. The researchers concluded that electrical synapses are mediated by connexin-36 (Cx36). Interruptions in the functioning of this protein in the ventromedial hypothalamus significantly reduce electrical communication.
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