While our previous work has focused on CA1 pyramidal neurons, it is clear that the dendritic structure of pyramidal neurons in other hippocampal areas is quite different (Spruston and McBain, 2007; Spruston, 2008). Motivated by our discovery that there are two pyramidal neurons in CA1 and subiculum of the rat (Graves et al., 2012), David Hunt is studying the diversity of pyramidal neurons in the mouse hippocampus. In addition to the conventional patch-clamp methods we used previously, we are using a combination of other methods, including birthdate labeling of hippocampal pyramidal neurons and expression of channelrhodopsin in specific excitatory projections. Furthermore, we are expanding the scope of the investigation from CA1 and subiculum to also include CA2 and CA3.
References
Graves AR, Moore SJ, Bloss EB, Mensh BD, Kath WL, Spruston N. Hippocampal pyramidal neurons comprise two distinct cell types that are countermodulated by metabotropic receptors. Neuron, 76:776-789, 2012.
Spruston N. Pyramidal neurons: dendritic structure and synaptic integration. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 9:206-221, 2008.
Spruston N, McBain C. Chapter 5: Structural and functional properties of hippocampal neurons. In: The Hippocampus Book, Andersen P, Morris R, Amaral D, Bliss T, O’Keefe J, eds. Oxford University Press, pp. 133-201, 2007.