Yesser Hadj Belgacem Tellier
Research project
Morphogens as regulators of synapse plasticity in the central nervous system.
Project summary
We have recently discovered a novel signaling pathway of the morphogen Sonic hedgehog (Shh) involving spontaneous electrical activity and playing an important role in the differentiation of spinal cord neurons in the embryo. Although mainly known for its role in neural tube development, Shh is still expressed in the brain after birth, where its role is unknown. It may act as a modulator of electrical activity using a signaling pathway similar to the one I described in the spinal cord. GABAergic synapses in the immature hippocampus are an ideal model for studying the role of Shh in the brain, since spontaneous electrical activity regulates plasticity and Shh and its receptors are expressed there. We therefore propose to study the role of Shh in modulating spontaneous electrical activity in the maturing hippocampus, the effects this has on GABAergic synapse plasticity and the consequences for adult brain physiology in healthy and pathological contexts. Iméra provides an ideal setting for developing an international, multidisciplinary collaboration bringing together three complementary teams: Dr. Borodinsky’s (University of California, Davis), Drs. Gaiarsa and Ben-Ari (AMU/INMED, Marseille), who have a strong expertise in the study of the GABAergic synapse in the immature hippocampus, as well as in rodent models of epilepsy and autism.
