Conférence mensuelle – Richard Robitaille

Lieu : Centre Broca Nouvelle-Aquitaine / Salle de conférence

Invité par Bordeaux Neurocampus.
Dans le cadre des PhD seminar series

Abstract

My research focuses on the role of glial cells in the regulation of synaptic functions in normal as well as in pathological conditions. We use mammalian neuromuscular junctions and acute brain slices as experimental models to address the role of glial cells in the regulation of synaptic transmission and plasticity, and the contribution of glial cells in the outcome of synaptic competition, during aging and in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).  I will address two different aspects in my talk. First, I will present our recent work on the roles of astrocytes in the regulation on inhibitory interneurons in the hippocampus and discuss the possible implication for the hippocampal network. Then, I will discuss some of our work at the neuromuscular junction in ALS and highlight ex vivo and in vivo experiments to illustrate that neuromuscular changes are precocious, with a strong influence of the local environment in the outcome of NMJ denervation in ALS.

Publications choisies

• Robitaille, R. (1998).  Modulation of synaptic efficacy and synaptic depression by glial cells at the frog neuromuscular junction.  Neuron. 21, 847-855.
• Serrano, A., Haddjeri, N., Lacaille, J.C. and Robitaille, R. (2006) GABAergic network activation of glial cells underlies hippocampal heterosynaptic depression.  Journal of Neuroscience 26, 5370-5382.
• Panatier, A., Haber, M., Murai, K.K., Lacaille, J.C. and Robitaille, R. (2011) Astrocytes are constitutive regulators of basal transmission at single CNS synapses. Cell, 146, 785 – 798.
• Darabid, H. Arbour, D. and Robitaille R. (2013) Glial cells decipher synaptic competition at the mammalian neuromuscular junction.  Journal of Neuroscience, 33(4):1297-313.
• Araque, A., Carmignoto, G., Haydon, P.G., Oliet, S., Robitaille, R. and Volterra, A. (2014) Gliotransmitters Travel in Time and Space. Neuron, 81(4):728-739.
•  Darabid, H., Perez, A. and Robitaille, R. (2014) Neuromuscular synaptogenesis: Coordinating several partners with multiple functions. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 15, 703 – 718.
• Arbour, A., Tremblay, E., Martineau, E., Julien, J.P. and Robitaille, R. (2015) Early and persistent abnormal decoding by glial cells at the neuromuscular junction in an ALS mouse model. Journal of Neuroscience, 35(2):688 –706.