Calcium Imaging - evaluation of LTP-related fast dendritic calcium transients and role of calcium ions in hypoxia-induced neurodegeneration

Fields of research:

Fast calcium imaging, e.g. calcium increases during long-term potentiation

Dissecting the effects of different drugs acting on the NMDA-receptor channel complex, VGCC, mGluRs etc. and on intradendritic calcium concentrations

Investigating the wave-like phenomenon of calcium propagation upon tetanization in dendrites of CA1 pyramidal neurons

Methods of research:

Confocal laser scanning microscopy in combination with electrophysiological recordings (CA1 region of the hippocampus)

Hippocampal slices (250 µm) are prepared from 20-day-old male Wistar rats in ice-cold HEPES buffered solution, transferred to the recording chamber and allowed to equilibrate for at least 1 h. Using an Odyssey XL confocal laser-scanning system (Noran Instruments) mounted on a Zeiss Axioskop-FS upright microscope (40x water-immersion objective) with simultaneous sharp electrode recordings we study the properties of the Ca2+ responses of neurons. CA1 neurons are filled for 20 min with the Ca2+ indicator Calcium Green-1. Thereafter, applying high-frequency electrical stimulation to the afferents we evoke synaptic changes and thus delineate different Ca2+ sources involved in plasticity and other processes.

For further information please contact:

Dr. Frank Striggow
phone: +49(391)6715363 and 6117140
fax: +49(391)6713097
frank.striggow@keyneurotek.de 

Dr. Tino Jäger
phone: +49(391)6263403
jaeger@ifn-magdeburg.de  

Recent publications:

Bernstein, M., Behnisch, T., Balschun, D., Reymann, K.G. and Reiser, G.: Hippocampal astrocytes possess metabotropic glutamate and P2receptors linked to Ca2+[i] signalling. Neuropharmacol., 1998, 37, 169-178

Jäger, T., Reymann, K.G., and Behnisch, T.: Analysis of the tetanic and post-tetanic components of intradendritic Ca2+ signals in hippocampal CA1 neurons. Neurosci. 1998, 86, 423-429

Szinyei, C., Behnisch, T. and Reymann, K.G.: Long-term potentiation in rat CA1 neurons requires post-synaptic calcium induced calcium release. J. Physiology 1999, 1999, 516, 855-868

Striggow, F., Riek, M., Breder, J., Henrich-Noack, P., Reymann, K.G. and Reiser, G.: The protease thrombin is an endogenous mediator of hippocampal neuroprotection against ischemia at low concentrations but causes degeneration at high concentrations. Proc. Natl. Acd. Sci. 97, 2000, 2264-2269

Wilsch, V.W., Behnisch, T., Jäger, T., Reymann, K.G. and Balschun, D.: When are class I metabotropic glutamate receptors necessary for LTP? J. Neurosci. 1998, 18, 6071-6080