National holiday (Ascension Day)

Henrik Mouritsen

MOLECULAR, FUNCTIONAL, AND BEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS OF NEUROMODULATORY NETWORKS IN THE ZEBRAFISH TELENCEPHALON

The function of neuronal networks is determined not only by synaptic connectivity but also by neuromodulatory systems that broadcast information via distributed connections and volume transmission. To understand the molecular constraints that organize neuromodulatory signaling in the telencephalon of adult zebrafish, we used transcriptomics to delineate cell types, to determine their phylogenetic conservation, and to map the expression of marker genes at high granularity. The combinatorial expression of GPCRs and cell-type markers indicates that all neuronal cell types are subject to modulation by multiple monoaminergic systems and distinct combinations of neuropeptides. Individual cell types were associated with multiple (typically >30) neuromodulatory signaling networks but expressed only a few diagnostic GPCRs at high levels, suggesting that different neuromodulatory systems act in combination, albeit with unequal weights. Some vertebrate telencephalic areas, such as the hippocampus, have a clear homologue in the brain of zebrafish, with an anatomical structure similar to that of mammals. Leveraging in-vivo 2P-imaging of head-restrained adult fish in a virtual reality, we aim to discover how conserved neuromodulatory networks regulate spatial cognition in zebrafish. Our results provide a detailed map of cell types and brain areas in the zebrafish telencephalon, identify core components of neuromodulatory networks, highlight the cell-type specificity of neuropeptides and GPCRs, and begin to decipher the logic of combinatorial neuromodulation.

Host: Pauline Fleischmann

guided by Oliver Lindecke

Heiko Schmaljohann

Gabriele Gerlach

Sandra Bouwhuis

Bernd Blasius

Stefan Harfst

CAnMove - Centre for Animal Movement Research, Lund Universitet

Host: Miriam Liedvogel