Synaptotagmin-2 is a reliable marker for parvalbumin positive inhibitory boutons in the mouse visual cortex.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Inhibitory innervation by parvalbumin (PV) expressing interneurons has been implicated in the onset of the sensitive period of visual plasticity. Immunohistochemical analysis of the development and plasticity of these inhibitory inputs is difficult because PV expression is low in young animals and strongly influenced by neuronal activity. Moreover, the synaptic boutons that PV neurons form onto each other cannot be distinguished from the innervated cell bodies by immunostaining for this protein because it is present throughout the cells. These problems call for the availability of a synaptic, activity-independent marker for PV+ inhibitory boutons that is expressed before sensitive period onset. We investigated whether synaptotagmin-2 (Syt2) fulfills these properties in t

SUBMITTER: Sommeijer JP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3335159 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature