CSB Seminar: Tatsuya Tsukahara, PhD – Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute

CSB Departmental Seminar

Friday, November 7th @ 11:00 am

SPEAKER: Tatsuya Tsukahara, PhD – Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute

TITLE: Sensory neuron plasticity sculpted by the internal and external world

ABSTRACT: Animals interpret sensory stimuli in a context of past experience and their own physiological status to select appropriate actions. It has been generally thought that flexibility in sensory responses is mediated by synaptic mechanisms in the brain and peripheral sensory neurons that directly interface with the world faithfully send the sensory information irrespective of animal’s experience or internal states. By using single-cell transcriptomics and calcium imaging, we revealed that olfactory sensory neurons in the mouse nose modulate odor responses based on the activity history over timescales of hours to days via activity-dependent reconfiguration of the transcriptomes. Building on this discovery, our lab currently studies how signals that signify internal states impact transcriptomes and functions of olfactory sensory neurons, with emphasis on inflammation and life stages such as pregnancy and menopause. Using a model of nasal bacterial infection, we found that inflammation induces transcriptional changes in olfactory sensory neurons that predict altered odor responses. We also observed changes in the patterns of neurogenesis, which could result in long-term (weeks to months) modulation of sensory responses. These results highlight previously unappreciated plasticity in the peripheral sensory codes and suggest a model in which peripheral neurons actively contribute to the experience-dependent regulation of brain functions and behavior.

HOST: Max Shafer

LOCATION: Cell and Systems Biology, 25 Harbord Street, Suite 432

LIVESTREAM LINK: https://csb.utoronto.ca/live-stream/