Molecular and electrophysiological features of GABAergic neurons in the dentate gyrus reveal limited homology with cortical interneurons

What is it about?

GABAergic interneurons are specialized brain cells that play a vital role in regulating the processing of information among other neurons. Numerous categories of these interneurons have been distinguished throughout the brain, based on their distinct electrical and molecular characteristics. Yet, it remains uncertain whether these specific interneuron classes can be found in a particular region of the brain known as the hilus of the dentate gyrus. Uncovering this information is crucial, as the dentate gyrus plays a key role in the creation and retrieval of memories. In an attempt to address this question, researchers employed advanced techniques such as patch-clamp and single-cell RT-PCR to analyze the electrical and molecular attributes of interneurons in the hilus and juxtaposed them with those in another brain area. Their findings revealed that the classification criteria utilized for interneurons in the alternate brain region were not as effective for categorizing hilus interneurons. This study implies that varying brain regions may contain distinct interneuron types, indicative of their unique functional modalities.

Featured Image