Brain functioning relies on the orchestrated interactions between different cell types at a molecular, cellular and network level. We are studying the role of astrocytes in the regulation of physiological and pathological network activity in living mouse and human brain tissue. This research unraveled a crucial role for astroglial connexin and pannexin channels in orchestrating neuronal network activity patterns and synchronization in mice as well as epileptic activities in mice and human tissues from epileptic patients. To do so, E. Dossi established in the laboratory multi-electrode array recordings of mouse hippocampal slices and human cortical slices from postoperative tissue obtained after surgical resection of the epileptogenic zone in epileptic patients. Furthermore, A. Rancillac aims to determine how neuron-glia communication contributes to the regulation of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep in the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus (VLPO) and focuses in particular on the crucial role of adenosine in sleep regulation.

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Technical skills: Electrophysiology, MEA recordings

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References :

 

Prostaglandin D2 Controls Local Blood Flow and Sleep-Promoting Neurons in the VLPO via Astrocyte-Derived Adenosine.

Emeric Scharbarg, Augustin Walter, Laure Lecoin, Thierry Gallopin, Frédéric Lemaître, Manon Guille-Collignon, Nathalie Rouach, Armelle Rancillac. 

ACS Chem Neurosci​. 2023 Mar 15;14(6):1063-1070. doi: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00660. Epub 2023 Feb 27.

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Pannexin 1 activity in astroglia sets hippocampal neuronal network patterns,                                                                               Flora Vasile, Elena Dossi, Julien Moulard, Pascal Ezan, Laure Lecoin, Martine Cohen-Salmon, Philippe Mailly, Marc Le Bert, Isabelle Couillin, Alexis Bemelman3, Nathalie Rouach,

PLoS Biol 2022 Dec 7;20(12):e3001891. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001891

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Astrocyte-derived adenosine is central to the hypnogenic effect of glucose.
Scharbarg E, Daenens M, Lemaître F, Geoffroy H, Guille-Collignon M, Gallopin T, Rancillac A.
Sci Rep. 2016 Jan 12;6:19107. doi: 10.1038/srep19107.

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