Groupe Interactions cellules gliales/cellules gliales et cellules gliales/neurones
Research center
Institution
Laboratory
Mots clefs
publications
Agulhon C, Sun MY, Murphy T, Myers T, Lauderdale K, Fiacco TA. Calcium signaling and gliotransmission in normal versus reactive astrocytes, Frontiers in Neuropharmacology. In Press.
Agulhon C, Fiacco TA, McCarthy KD , Hippocampal short- and long-term plasticity are not modulated by astrocyte Ca2+ signaling, Science.327:1250-4, 2010.
Fiacco TA, Agulhon C, McCarthy KD. Sorting out astrocyte physiology from pharmacology, Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 49:151-174 2009.
Agulhon C, Petravicz J, McMullen AB, Sweger EJ, Minton SK, Taves SR, Casper KB, Fiacco TA, McCarthy KD. What is the role of astrocyte calcium in neurophysiology?, Neuron. 59:932-946, 2008.
Fiacco TA, Agulhon C, Taves S, Petravicz J, Casper K, Dong Xinzhong, Chen J, McCarthy KD. Selective stimulation of astrocyte calcium in situ does not affect neuronal excitatory synaptic activity, Neuron. 54:611-626, 2007.
Fields of research
Research Theme
We are interested in understanding the role of glial cells in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS) and the mechanisms by which glial cells and neurons interact to support normal communication in the CNS.
We are developing and using a set of interdisciplinary and complementary tools and approaches (electrophysiology, pharmacogenetics and optogenetics, 2-photon Ca2+ imaging) to selectively manipulate glial cell signaling and investigate its effects in synaptic transmission and plasticity ex vivo and in vivo in different contexts (during sensory-activated synaptic transmission, sleep, development and stress).
Collaborations with physicists also located in the Paris Descartes University will provide the 2-photon microscopy systems and optic expertise necessary to our projects. From these studies, we hope to resolve some glial cell functions, and open up entirely new areas of investigation and potential treatments of diseases, e.g. glioblastoma, epilepsy, or memory, sleep, and stress disorders.