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Caltech Systems Neuroscience
We discuss systems neuroscience with a focus on olfaction.
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Members (11)
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Sina Tootoonian (Caltech)Login or register to post commentsThe authors use calcium imaging to compare 'compound' glomerular activity - presumably due to olfactory receptor inputs and local interneurons - and projection neuron activity in the antennal lobe of the honeybee. The preparations used two dyes: a bulk calcium dye for the compound signal, and membrane impermeable dye injected locally to target the PNs. Several characteristics distinguished the two signals. In the absence of odors the compound signal showed no activity while the PN signal did. In addition, the PN signal showed inhibition with increasing concentration but the compound signal did not. Hence it seems likely that the PN signal was in fact caused by projection neuron activity.
The PN signal as presented in the figures w ... read more
- Sina Tootoonian (Caltech)Login or register to post comments
I've got PowerPoint slides so let's meet in BI29. I'm going to be presenting a really basic survey of odor representation in the ALs of moths, bees and fruitflies as investigated by calcium imaging techniques. Several patterns emerge:
1) Each odor evokes a unique vector of glomerular activation.
2) Activation patterns are conserved across individuals.
3) Glomerular responses are sigmoidal wrt concentration.
4) Increasing concentration recruits more glomeruli.
5) The glomerular focus of peak response can change with concentration.I've posted the papers in the 'Articles' section.
Mala Murthy (Caltech)Login or register to post commentsMeet on the lawn outside of the BI. I will be discussing 4 recent papers (they are posted under the articles tab) on cVA (cis-vaccenyl acetate) and its differential effects on male and female Drosophila. The papers collectively examine the electrophysiological responses of both OSNs and PNs to cVA (and other fly pheromones), olfactory behaviors elicited by cVA, and generalized courtship learning, which requires cVA. Together they form a very coherent story on sex pheromone-induced odor responses and mating behavior in Drosophila. More generally, they provide the foundation for future work on the detailed mechanisms of the transformation from sensory signal to behavior.
