Current Projects
Hayashida Lab Projects
Figure 1: Summary of Lab project. (1) GBP reduces pre-synaptic GABA release to increase pre-synaptic glutamate release. (2) GBP enhances glutamate-induced glutamate release from astrocytes; activation of NA neurons also enhances glutamate release via gap-junctions. (3) Activation of LC by GBP results in global or selective NA release in various areas in brain and spinal cord.
Figure 2: Proposed scheme by which GBP enhances glutamate release from astrocytes. (1): Glutamate acts on AMPA/mGlu receptors to increase intracellular Ca2+ levels in astrocytes. Co-transport of sodium ion and glutamate by glutamate transporters results in Ca2+ influx via the reverse mode of Na/Ca exchange. GBP enhances Ca2+ response by glutamate to augment glutamate release from astrocytes. (2): Glutamate also activates NA neurons via AMPA receptors. NA neurons serve as an amplifier of this glutamate-circuit and activation of NA neurons induces more excitation of coupled-astrocytes to enhance glutamate.