Oral Presentations - Session 2B: UC 327
Presentation Type
Presentation
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Josh Lawrence
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Abstract / Artist's Statement
Release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) into the hippocampus is essential for learning and memory. Lack of hippocampal acetylcholine is associated with cognitive deficits in Alzheimer’s disease. The major source of acetylcholine in the hippocampus is extrinsic and supplied by the medial septum-diagonal band of Broca (MS-DBB). However, hippocampal cholinergic interneurons may be an intrinsic source of ACh. Originally discovered using antibodies to the ACh synthesizing enzyme choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), little is known about these intrinsic cholinergic interneurons. With advances in technology, a ChATxRosa26-YFP mouse was developed that enabled the visualization of yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) in hippocampal cholinergic interneurons. The experiments were designed to investigate the localization of hippocampal cholinergic interneurons across five dimensions, spanning layers, subregions, hemispheres, ages, and gender. By identifying locations where the cholinergic interneurons are most densely populated, and identifying any differences in cell populations, one can begin to infer the physiological significance of these specialized cells. In four ChATxRosa-YFP mice, YFP+ cell counts and distributions (mean ± SEM) were recorded in serial sections in CA3, CA1 and dentate gyrus (DG) regions. We found layer specificity within CA3, CA1, and DG regions (p
Category
Life Sciences
Layer Specific Distribution of Cholinergic Interneurons in the Hippocampus
Release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) into the hippocampus is essential for learning and memory. Lack of hippocampal acetylcholine is associated with cognitive deficits in Alzheimer’s disease. The major source of acetylcholine in the hippocampus is extrinsic and supplied by the medial septum-diagonal band of Broca (MS-DBB). However, hippocampal cholinergic interneurons may be an intrinsic source of ACh. Originally discovered using antibodies to the ACh synthesizing enzyme choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), little is known about these intrinsic cholinergic interneurons. With advances in technology, a ChATxRosa26-YFP mouse was developed that enabled the visualization of yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) in hippocampal cholinergic interneurons. The experiments were designed to investigate the localization of hippocampal cholinergic interneurons across five dimensions, spanning layers, subregions, hemispheres, ages, and gender. By identifying locations where the cholinergic interneurons are most densely populated, and identifying any differences in cell populations, one can begin to infer the physiological significance of these specialized cells. In four ChATxRosa-YFP mice, YFP+ cell counts and distributions (mean ± SEM) were recorded in serial sections in CA3, CA1 and dentate gyrus (DG) regions. We found layer specificity within CA3, CA1, and DG regions (p