Rapid-time-course miniature and evoked excitatory currents at cerebellar synapses in situ.

Neurotransmission from mossy fibre terminals onto cerebellar granule cells is almost certainly mediated by L-glutamate. By taking advantage of the small soma size, limited number of processes and short dendrite length of granule cells, we have obtained high-resolution recordings of spontaneous miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (m.e.p.s.cs) and evoked currents in thin cerebellar slices. Miniature currents have a similar time-course and pharmacology to evoked currents and consist of an exceptionally fast non-NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) component (measured rise-time, 200 microseconds; estimated pre-filtered rise-time less than 100 microseconds; decay time constant, tau = 1.0 ms), followed by 50 pS NMDA channel openings that are directly resolvable. We could find no evidence for the recent proposal that miniature currents in granule cells are mediated solely by NMDA channels with a novel time course. The non-NMDA receptor component of m.e.p.s.cs has a skewed amplitude distribution, which suggests potential complications for quantal analysis. The difference in time course between the m.e.p.s.cs reported here and other synaptic currents in the brain could reflect differences in synaptic function or electrotonic filtering; the relative contribution of these possibilities has yet to be established.     

NMDA and non-NMDA receptors are co-localized at individual excitatory synapses in cultured rat hippocampus

A CENTRAL assumption about long-term potentiation in the hippocampus is that the two classes of glutamate-receptor ion channel, the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and the kainate/quisqualate (non-NMDA) subtypes, are co-localized at individual excitatory synapses. This assumption is important because of the perceived interplay between NMDA and non-NMDA receptors in the induction and expression of long-term potentiation: the NMDA class, by virtue of its voltage-dependent channel block by magnesium and calcium permeability, provides the trigger for the induction of long-term potentiation, whereas the actual enhancement of synaptic efficacy is thought to be provided by the non-NMDA class. If both receptor subtypes are present at the one synapse, such cross-modulation could occur rapidly and locally through diffusible factors. By measuring miniature synaptic currents in cultured hippocampal neurons we show that the majority (approximately 70%) of the excitatory synapses on a postsynaptic cell possess both kinds of receptor, although to different extents. Of the remaining excitatory synapses, approximately 20% contain only the non-NMDA subtype and the rest possess only NMDA receptors. This finding provides direct evidence for co-localization of glutamate-receptor subtypes at individual synapses, and also points to the possibility that long-term potentiation might be differentially expressed at each synapse according to the mix of receptor subtypes at that synapse.     

昆虫尾须感受器种类特征及其生理功能

尾须是昆虫重要的感觉器官,它与昆虫触角类似,表面分布着许多不同类型的感觉毛,这些感觉毛特化成各种类型的感受器,具有感觉外界环境变化的功能,在昆虫的繁殖、身体平衡等生命活动中起到非常重要的作用.根据尾须感受器形态大小及特征的分类研究,其感受器主要可分为丝毛形感受器、钟形感受器、矛形感受器、毛形感受器、刺形感受器、棒状感受...     

Astrocyte glypicans 4 and 6 promote formation of excitatory synapses via GluA1 AMPA receptors

In the developing central nervous system (CNS), the control of synapse number and function is critical to the formation of neural circuits. We previously demonstrated that astrocyte-secreted factors powerfully induce the formation of functional excitatory synapses between CNS neurons. Astrocyte-secreted thrombospondins induce the formation of structural synapses, but these synapses are postsynaptically silent. Here we use biochemical fractionation of astrocyte-conditioned medium to identify glypican 4 (Gpc4) and glypican 6 (Gpc6) as astrocyte-secreted signals sufficient to induce functional synapses between purified retinal ganglion cell neurons, and show that depletion of these molecules from astrocyte-conditioned medium significantly reduces its ability to induce postsynaptic activity. Application of Gpc4 to purified neurons is sufficient to increase the frequency and amplitude of glutamatergic synaptic events. This is achieved by increasing the surface level and clustering, but not overall cellular protein level, of the GluA1 subunit of the AMPA (α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid) glutamate receptor (AMPAR). Gpc4 and Gpc6 are expressed by astrocytes in vivo in the developing CNS, with Gpc4 expression enriched in the hippocampus and Gpc6 enriched in the cerebellum. Finally, we demonstrate that Gpc4-deficient mice have defective synapse formation, with decreased amplitude of excitatory synaptic currents in the developing hippocampus and reduced recruitment of AMPARs to synapses. These data identify glypicans as a family of novel astrocyte-derived molecules that are necessary and sufficient to promote glutamate receptor clustering and receptivity and to induce the formation of postsynaptically functioning CNS synapses.     

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor prevents the death of motoneurons in newborn rats after nerve section.

Motoneurons innervating the skeletal musculature were among the first neurons shown to require the presence of their target cells to develop appropriately. But the characterization of molecules allowing motoneuron survival has been difficult. Ciliary neurotrophic factor prevents the death of motoneurons, but its gene is not expressed during development. Although the presence of a neurotrophin receptor on developing motoneurons has suggested a role for neurotrophins, none could be shown to promote motoneuron survival in vitro. We report here that brain-derived neurotrophic factor can prevent the death of axotomized motoneurons in newborn rats, suggesting a role for this neurotrophin for motoneuron survival in vivo.     

关于σ^k—矩阵的性质和结构特征

给出了σ^k-矩阵的定义，然后讨论了它的一些性质和结构特征。     

Polyclonal antibody against an insect excitatory toxin BmKIT from Buthus Martensii karsch and detection of BmKIT expressed in transgenic cotton

An insect excitatory toxin gene from Buthus martensii Karseh （BmKIT） was cloned into the expression vector, pET-28a. BmKIT was expressed as inclusion bodies in Eseherichia coli BL21 （DE3） host cells. The authenticity of in vitro expressed protein was confirmed by Western blot. The inclusion body protein band in SDS-PAGE was excised and the protein, BmKIT, was extracted. Polyelonal antibodies to the purified protein were raised in rabbits. The antibody reacted specifically with the expressed BmKIT and was used to quantify its presence in transgenic cotton.     

二氧化锆纳米管的制备与结构性质研究

在阳极氧化铝模板的孔内，利用溶胶-凝胶法制备出高度有序的二氧化锆纳米管。利用扫描电子显微镜、透射电镜、X-射线能量色散谱、X射线衍射和X-光电子能谱研究和表征了二氧化锆纳米管阵列的形貌和晶体结构．结果表明：二氧化锆纳米管均匀有序排列，并相互平行组装在阳极氧化铝模板的孔中．二氧化锆纳米管的长度和直径取决于所制备的膜板的厚度和孔径，这种大面积制备二氧化锆纳米管的新方法对其在气体检测器及各种工程材料的实际应用上具有重要的意义．     

关于σ—矩阵的性质的结构特征

利用n-循环置换给出了σ－矩阵的定义,σ－矩阵是循环矩阵的一种推广,讨论了σ－矩阵环的代数性质和σ－矩阵的结果特征,利用循环矩阵和排列矩阵的性质,得到了σ－矩阵的多项式表示,最后求得了σ－矩阵的所有特征值,特征向量。