Chemogenetic Silencing of Differentiating Cortical Neurons Impairs Dendritic and Axonal Growth.

ABSTRACT: Electrical activity is considered a key driver for the neurochemical and morphological maturation of neurons and the formation of neuronal networks. Designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) are tools for controlling neuronal activity at the single cell level by triggering specific G protein signaling. Our objective was to investigate if prolonged silencing of differentiating cortical neurons can influence dendritic and axonal maturation. The DREADD hM4Di couples to G_i/o signaling and evokes hyperpolarization via GIRK channels. HM4Di was biolistically transfected into neurons in organotypic slice cultures of rat visual cortex, and activated by clozapine-N-oxide (CNO) dissolved in H₂O; controls expressed hM4Di, but were mock-stimulated

SUBMITTER: Gasterstadt I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9336219 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature