Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research
Maulbeerstrasse 66
4058 Basel, Switzerland
Email: silvia.arber@fmi.ch
Secretary: Isabella Bogdal
Phone: +41 61 697 66 53
Neuronal circuit formation
The function of neuronal circuits in the nervous system depends on the precision with which individual neurons assemble during development. The high specificity and selectivity with which neurons choose synaptic partners is controlled mainly by genetic programs. These programs allow diversification of neuronal subtypes, differentiation, and connectivity into precise neuronal circuits. Our research aims to identify cellular and molecular mechanisms controlling late neuronal diversification and associated assembly into neuronal circuits. We address these questions mainly in the developing mouse spinal cord, combining techniques such as gain- and loss-of-function mouse genetics, light microscope imaging of fluorescently labeled neuronal subpopulations, electrophysiological analysis and gene expression profiling. We have shown that precise signaling interactions between neurons and their target tissues and the action of several classes of transcription factors play important roles at sequential steps of neuronal circuit assembly.
