Event Details:
Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute Seminar Series Presents
Beatriz Rico, PhD
Professor of Developmental Neurobiology
Host: John Huguenard
Abstract
Understanding brain function and dysfunction begins with the knowledge of how neuronal connections are established and organized in functional networks. The remarkable diversity and connectivity patterns of cortical interneurons place them in a unique position to orchestrate functionally relevant circuit-specific roles and critically shape cortical function. Consistently, GABAergic dysfunction has been implicated in several neurological and psychiatric disorders. While some progress has been made towards understanding the molecular and structural components that broadly distinguish inhibitory synapses and their assembly, the molecular mechanisms underlying interneuron subtype-specific assembly are largely unknown. We identified cell-specific molecular signatures that are used by the interneurons during early wiring and underlie the specification of different patterns of connectivity.