GABA-mediated repulsive coupling between circadian clock neurons in the SCN encodes seasonal time
Abstract
How animals track the seasons has long been a mystery. We found a mechanism that explains how day length is encoded within the neuronal network of suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Using an integrated approach combining experiments and modeling, we find evidence for changes in the coupling in the SCN that divides the clock oscillations into two clusters as a function of day length. We show that asymmetric distribution of intracellular chloride across the SCN causes this coupling change. Blocking GABA or chloride import erases the oscillator organization formed by day-length entrainment. These demonstrate that coupling through GABA is a key ingredient of day-length encoding in the SCN.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Jun 30, 2015
- Source ID
- 10.1073/pnas.1421200112
Entities
People
- Daniel B. Forger
- Daniel Dewoskin
- Erik De Schutter
- Jihwan Myung
- Sungho Hong
- Toru Takumi
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology
- Hiroshima University
- Human Frontier Science Program
- Japan Science and Technology Agency
- Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology
- RIKEN Brain Science Institute
- University of Michigan