Subcellular Targeting of VIP Boutons in Mouse Barrel Cortex is Layer-Dependent and not Restricted to Interneurons.

ABSTRACT: Neocortical vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) expressing cells are a diverse subpopulation of GABAergic interneurons issuing distinct axonal projections. They are known to inhibit other types of interneurons as well as excitatory principal neurons and possess a disinhibitory net effect in cortical circuits. In order to elucidate their targeting specificity, the output connectivity of VIP interneurons was studied at the subcellular level in barrel cortex of interneuron-specific Cre-driver mice, using pre- and postembedding electron microscopy. Systematically sampling VIP boutons across all layers, we found a substantial proportion of the innervated subcellular structures were dendrites (80%), with somata (13%), and spines (7%) being much less targeted. In layer VI, a high proportion o

SUBMITTER: Zhou X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6084601 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature