Grant: Project Grant

My research focuses on nerve cells from the brain. I am interested in how the bio-electrical properties of nerve cells are controlled. These properties are governed by minute holes in nerve cells called channel proteins, which pass ions (like calcium, sodium or potassium) in and out of the cell. Because ions are charged, their movement through channels results in the flow of electrical current. Nerve cells harness currents to receive sensations, code information, and signal other nerve cells, muscles, or glands. Signalling involves the release of either small chemicals or specialized proteins, termed neuro-peptides, from a nerve cell. My objective is to examine how nerve cells use channels in a coordinated fashion to release neuro-peptides and initiate behaviour. Taking a reductionist approach, I employ the brain of a sea snail, called Aplysia, which has large and identifiable nerve cells. In particular, I study the bag cells, which are motivational cells that evoke reproduction, a behaviour essential to all animals. My work concerns how, after only a very short stimulus, the action of certain channels allows these nerves cells to respond with a prolonged episode of neuro-peptide release to trigger reproduction. I will investigate the mechanisms that allow channels to remain open for lengthy time periods. This includes interactions with structures inside the bag cells, known as mitochondria, which normally act as an energy source, but in this case regulate channel function. Long-term responses are found in nerve cells from many animals, and are essential for handling sensory information, learning, movement, and controlling drinking, eating, ovulation, birth, or breast feeding. Thus, my findings will apply to processes such as perception, memory, and fundamental behaviours. Furthermore, because the channels permit a nerve cell to be active on its own, there may be implications for epilepsy, where bio-electrical properties are inappropriately adjusted.