Research interests:
The research interests of our group focus on unravelling the mechanisms of spinal and cerebellar circuits involved in motor control under normal development and motor neuron diseases. Our goals are to address the reasons behind the selective vulnerability of specific neurons and their synaptic connections in motor neuron diseases such as spinal muscular atrophies (SMA). In particular, our group is interested in deciphering the correlation, or at times the disconnect, between neuronal death and neuronal dysfunction. We combine electrophysiology, whole tissue clearing, modern imaging, and molecular biology in mouse models of motor neuron diseases to study defects in motor circuits and their underlying mechanisms.
Exhibited methods during Open Lab:
We offer 3 different work stations at which will showcase three functional and morphological approaches of our lab: confocal imaging, super-resolution microscopy (STED) and whole-cell patch-clamp recordings of murine spinal cords.
1. Dissection and confocal imaging of spinal cord segments in mice (Station 1)
Our recent findings indicate that spinal motor neurons and Purkinje cells in different SMA mouse models undergo cell-autonomous death through activation of the p53 signaling pathway (Fig. 1). We will showcase here a dissection of spinal cord, identification and imaging of specific spinal segments to detect p53-dependent motor neuron death in SMA mice.
2. Super-resolution microscopy (STED) of spinal excitatory synapses (Station 2)
Degeneration of spinal excitatory synapses is a central hallmark of motor neuron diseases. To decipher molecular changes within the synapses, super-resolution microscopy is required. We will showcase STED microscopy to investigate the distribution of individual presynaptic proteins in murine spinal cord sections (Fig. 2A).
3. Whole-cell patch-clamp recording of spinal motor circuits (Station 3)
Dysfunction of spinal motor circuits determine the functional output and the motor phenotype. Motor neurons are the sole functional output of the central nervous system to control locomotion. In turn, motor neurons are controlled by spinal premotor synapses. We will showcase whole-cell patch-clamp recording of motor neurons and premotor synaptic transmission in a spinal hemicord (Fig. 2B).
Time & Location:
When: Friday, February 9th 2024, 9:00 a.m.
Where: Seminarraum E215 (2nd Floor), Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Liebigstrasse 27a
Preliminary program:
9.00 - 9.30 – Welcome and introduction to motor neuron diseases and methods
9.30 - 11.00 – 1. Round of experiments
11.00 - 12.30 – 2. Round of experiments
12.30 - 13.30 – Pizza lunch – get together
13.30 - 15.00 – 3. Round of experiments
15.00 - 15.15 – Feedback and goodbye
Capacity:
The number of participants is limited to 9 (3 rotating groups à 3 persons), on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you are interested in the Open Lab Day, please send a short registration email.
