INVESTIGATION INTO POSSIBLE CIRCUITS

UNDERLYING LEECH
MECHANOSENSATION
L AT E R A L I N H I B I T I O N A N D S E R O T O N I N
M O D U L AT I O N

I A N C O U LT E R , N I C O L E R I L E Y , A N D H A N N A H T H O M A S

INTRODUCTION
Leech nervous system
Segmented ganglia
connected to each other
via the connective.
Peripheral nerve roots
send information to and
receive information from
the body wall.
Mechanosensory neuronsin the ganglia and
terminate as
mechanosensors on the

Adapted from NBIO 302

manual

METHODS
Using the leech ganglion prep from
week 1 (Receptive fields of leech
mechanosensory neurons).
Recorded from two neurons in the
leech ganglion.
N1: recorded from with no other
manipulations
N2: recorded from without
manipulation; then added 1 drop of SR
57227 and recorded again.
SR 57227- serotonin agonist
SR 57227
Stock solution molarity: 0.004724 M
Concentration of SR 57227 in bath
5.89E-7 M.

Adapted from NBIO 302 manual

THE NEURONS WE RECORDED FROM

Adapted from NBIO 302 manual

These neurons were recorded from on different days in different ganglion. Only shows relativ
location.

INHIBITION OF ACTION POTENTIAL FIRING FROM SHARP

PRESSURE STIMULATION OF N1 RECEPTIVE FIELD

REGENERATION OF SPIKE FREQUENCY AFTER SHARP

PRESSURE INHIBITION OF N1

HYPOTHESIS 1
Recorded from an inhibitory neuron which when stimulated
by sharp pressure is itself inhibited, amplifying the signal.

Voltage (mV)

DID WE RECORD FROM A MECHANORECEPTOR?

-15

N1
Activity

-20

-25

All mechanosensory neurons typically have spikes whose

amplitudes overshoot 0 mV (Nicholls).

HYPOTHESIS 2
Recorded from a
neuron that
receives
inhibitory input
from a proximal
inhibitory
interneuron cell
so that when we
stimulate one
receptive field the

N1 RECEPTIVE FIELD

Spike
Frequency
(Hz) Key

MODULATION OF CONDUCTION BLOCK IN LEECH MECHANOSENSORY NEURONS

BY ADAM MAR & PIERRE DRAPEAU
Conduction block: Failure to transmit electrical signals, due to changes in membrane
properties along axon and dendrites.
Neuromodulation by serotonin released from Retzius cells

5-HT enhances conduction block in

about half of the sensory cell
anterior fields

In the anterior fields a large proportion of T, P,

and lateral N cells showed an increased duration
of conduction block in response to 5-HT

N2 RECEPTIVE FIELD BEFORE SR 57227

APPLICATION
Spike
Count Key

N2 CELL RECORDING BEFORE ADDING SR

57227

Voltage (mV)

-20

-25

-30

Time (s)

N2 RECEPTIVE FIELD AFTER SR 57227 APPLICATION

Spike
Count Key

Voltage (mV)

N2 CELL RECORDING AFTER ADDING SR 57227

-20

-25

-30

3
Time
(s)

Voltage (mV)

PROOF WE WERE IN A CELL DURING SR 57227

EXPERIMENT

time (min:sec)

Recording returns to 0mV upon removal of

THE CIRCUIT

DISCUSSION
Lateral inhibition
Stimulus discrimination
Contrast amplification
Conduction block modulation via
serotonin
Neuronal plasticity
Information propagation bias
Receptive field shift
Further Experiments
Probing more posterior annuli
Varying amounts of SR 57227
Varying diffusion time for SR 57227

Adapted from
Sisernos

REFERENCES
Bosma, M. et al. (2015) NBIO 302, University of Washington Autumn
Quarter, 2015, Introduction to Systems and Behavioral
Neurobiology Department of Biology.
Mar, A., Drapeau, P. (1996) Modulation of Conduction Block in Leech
Mechanosensory Neurons J Neurophysiol 16:4335-4343.
Nicholls, J.G., Baylor, D.A, (1968) Specific modalities and receptive
fields of sensory neurons in CNS of the leech J Neurophysiol 31:740756
Sisernos, J. (2015) Neuromodulation pt1 [pdf]. Retrieved from NBIO
302 Course Website.