GPER1 Signaling Initiates Migration of Female V-SVZ-Derived Cells.

In the rodent ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ) neurons are generated throughout life. They migrate along the rostral migratory stream (RMS) into the olfactory bulb before their final differentiation into interneurons and integration into local circuits. Estrogen receptors (ERs) are steroid hormone receptors with important functions in neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity. In this study, we show that the ER GPER1 is expressed in subsets of cells within the V-SVZ of female animals and provide evidence for a potential local estrogen source from aromatase-positive astrocytes surrounding the RMS. Blocking of GPER1 in Matrigel cultures of female animals significantly impairs migration of V-SVZ-derived cells. This outgrowth is accompanied by regulation of phosphorylation of the actin-binding protein cofilin by GPER1 signaling including an involvement of the p21-Ras pathway. Our results point to a prominent role of GPER1 in the initiation of neuronal migration from the V-SVZ to the olfactory bulb.

Presynaptic localization of GluK5 in rod photoreceptors suggests a novel function of high affinity glutamate receptors in the mammalian retina.

Kainate receptors mediate glutamatergic signaling through both pre- and presynaptic receptors. Here, we studied the expression of the high affinity kainate receptor GluK5 in the mouse retina. Double-immunofluoresence labeling and electron microscopic analysis revealed a presynaptic localization of GluK5 in the outer plexiform layer. Unexpectedly, we found GluK5 almost exclusively localized to the presynaptic ribbon of photoreceptor terminals. Moreover, in GluK5-deficient mutant mice the structural integrity of synaptic ribbons was severely altered pointing to a novel function of GluK5 in organizing synaptic ribbons in the presynaptic terminals of rod photoreceptors.

Developmental Profile, Morphology, and Synaptic Connectivity of Cajal-Retzius Cells in the Postnatal Mouse Hippocampus.

Cajal-Retzius (CR) cells are early generated neurons, involved in the assembly of developing neocortical and hippocampal circuits. However, their roles in networks of the postnatal brain remain poorly understood. In order to get insights into these latter functions, we have studied their morphological and synaptic properties in the postnatal hippocampus of the CXCR4-EGFP mouse, where CR cells are easily identifiable. Our data indicate that CR cells are nonuniformly distributed along different subfields of the hippocampal formation, and that their postnatal decline is regulated in a region-specific manner. In fact, CR cells persist in distinct areas of fully mature animals. Subclasses of CR cells project and target either local (molecular layers) or distant regions [subicular complex and entorhinal cortex (EC)] of the hippocampal formation, but have similar firing patterns. Lastly, CR cells are biased toward targeting dendritic shafts compared with spines, and produce large-amplitude glutamatergic unitary postsynaptic potentials on γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) containing interneurons. Taken together, our results suggest that CR cells are involved in a novel excitatory loop of the postnatal hippocampal formation, which potentially contributes to shaping the flow of information between the hippocampus, parahippocampal regions and entorhinal cortex, and to the low seizure threshold of these brain areas.