Stringent specificity in the construction of a GABAergic presynaptic inhibitory circuit Journal Article


Authors: Betley, J. N.; Wright, C. V. E.; Kawaguchi, Y.; Erdélyi, F.; Szabó, G.; Jessell, T. M.; Kaltschmidt, J. A.
Article Title: Stringent specificity in the construction of a GABAergic presynaptic inhibitory circuit
Abstract: GABAergic interneurons are key elements in neural coding, but the mechanisms that assemble inhibitory circuits remain unclear. In the spinal cord, the transfer of sensory signals to motor neurons is filtered by GABAergic interneurons that act presynaptically to inhibit sensory transmitter release and postsynaptically to inhibit motor neuron excitability. We show here that the connectivity and synaptic differentiation of GABAergic interneurons that mediate presynaptic inhibition is directed by their sensory targets. In the absence of sensory terminals these GABAergic neurons shun other available targets, fail to undergo presynaptic differentiation, and withdraw axons from the ventral spinal cord. A sensory-specific source of brain derived neurotrophic factor induces synaptic expression of the GABA synthetic enzyme GAD65 - a defining biochemical feature of this set of interneurons. The organization of a GABAergic circuit that mediates presynaptic inhibition in the mammalian CNS is therefore controlled by a stringent program of sensory recognition and signaling. © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Keywords: signal transduction; controlled study; protein expression; nonhuman; protein localization; mouse; mammalia; animals; mice; animal tissue; central nervous system; molneuro; sysneuro; brain derived neurotrophic factor; glutamate decarboxylase 65; gabaergic system; gabaergic transmission; interneuron; mammal; molecular recognition; nerve fiber; presynaptic inhibition; proprioception; sensory nerve; sensory stimulation; spinal cord; brain-derived neurotrophic factor; gamma-aminobutyric acid; glutamate decarboxylase; interneurons; motor neurons; presynaptic terminals; sensory receptor cells
Journal Title: Cell
Volume: 139
Issue: 1
ISSN: 0092-8674
Publisher: Cell Press  
Date Published: 2009-10-02
Start Page: 161
End Page: 174
Language: English
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2009.08.027
PUBMED: 19804761
PROVIDER: scopus
PMCID: PMC2812434
DOI/URL:
Notes: --- - "Cited By (since 1996): 9" - "Export Date: 30 November 2010" - "CODEN: CELLB" - "Source: Scopus"
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