Séminaire de Nicolas Wanaverbecq 22/03/2024

Friday 22nd March 2024, 14h30 – Salle Henri Gastaut

SpiCCI Team, Nicolas Wanaverbecq (Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone)

Giving sense to neurons in contact with the cerebrospinal Fluid

Abstract: Since their discovery by Kolmer and Agdhur in the 1900s, in more than 200 vertebrate species, neurons in contact with the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF-cNs) around the central canal and along the medullo-spinal axis remain one of the last enigmatic neuronal populations. CSF-cNs are bipolar GABAergic neurons that extend a large dendrite to the central canal ending with a protrusion bathing the CSF and an axon to the ventral region of the spinal cord with yet unidentified targets. They selectively express PKD2L1 a sensory ionic channel member of the ‘Transient Receptor Familly’ and are therefore thought to represent a novel sensory system intrinsic to the central nervous system (CNS). CSF-cNs have been extensively studied in the zebra fish larva where they are capable off dectecting the CSF flow and the spinal cord bending to ultimately trigger and modulate swimming behavior. In mammals, little is known but the SpiCCI team has largely contributed to the better understanding of their morphology, physiological properties and more recently function. We, indeed, demonstrated for the first time in mice that CSF-cNs play a role in the modulation of posture and balance. However, the key question is to demonstrate the anatiomical and functional connectivity within the spinal cord network. To this end we develop state-of-the-art approaches from molecular biology to electrophysiology and behavior and high resolution anatomy. Our working hypothesis is that CSF-cNs would sense molecule or stimuli in the CSF to modulate locally spinal network activity and physiological output but at the same time they project to supraspinal center responsible for the integration of the CNS inner state. They are therefore potential actors of the interoceptive system enabling the CNS to sense itself and in turn modulate its activity.