My lab studies the form and function of developing sensory systems. We are particularly interested in understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for the activity dependent refinement of sensory connections. Our model system has been the rodent lateral geniculate nucleus, the thalamic relay between retina and visual cortex. This pathway develops from a crudely wired, relatively undifferentiated network of cells into a highly ordered sensory system comprised of precise retinotopic patterns of connectivity, separate eye-specific domains, distinct cell types, and elaborate intrinsic circuitry. We use a variety of in vitro electrophysiological recording techniques, including IR-DIC patch recordings, as well as intracellular and extracellular blind recordings. Our anatomical experiments involve the use of anterograde tracers, molecular and immunocytochemical markers, and biocytin labeled material to delineate the functional and structural organization of the developing visual system. Our biochemical experiments make use of western blots and PCR to examine the molecular composition of neural elements underlying visual system development. More recently, we are using confocal microscopy and optical imaging protocols to capture the dynamics of developing thalamic circuitry. Present research activities include defining the anatomical and functional state of the developing retinogeniculate synapse, understanding the role of retinal activity in mediating long term changes in synaptic strength, the role of L-type Ca2+ channels and NMDA receptors in retinogeniculate axon segregation, detailing the cellular and network properties of developing and mature thalamic circuits, and examining the neural consequences associated with early alcohol exposure.
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