David Schulz

Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences

PhD, 2001 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

schulzd@missouri.edu
573-882-4067
218a Lefevre Hall

http://www.biosci.missouri.edu/schulz/

Research description

Ultimately, all nervous system output relies on each individual neuron producing the correct responses to synaptic input. Intrinsic excitability refers to the propensity of a neuron to fire action potentials when exposed to such an input signal. In other words, the intrinsic excitability of neurons is responsible for the translation of synaptic input to the particular output function of a given neuron. Neuronal excitability is directly attributable to the suite of ion channels inserted into the membrane of the cell, as well as the biochemical properties and kinetics of those channels. Because of their fundamental role in generating neuronal output, it is not surprising that alterations in the properties, spatial distribution, or abundance of these ion channels can result in considerable plasticity for neurons and the networks to which they belong.

Our lab focuses on how plasticity and stability are balanced in individual neurons by studying the molecular regulation of ion channel proteins and how this influences neuronal excitability. Using cutting edge electrophysiology and molecular biology techniques, we are able to measure the gene expression of multiple ion channels in single neurons of a rhythmic motor network called the stomatogastric ganglion (STG). By studying these cells in the STG network, we can investigate not only the effects at the single cell level, but also the influence that changes in single neurons has on the network activity as a whole.

This work has implications not only for understanding how networks maintain functional output, but also what goes wrong when these networks fail, as is the case with some diseases which affect the circuitry of the brain and spinal cord.

Selected publications

Schulz DJ, Temporal S, Barry DM, Garcia ML (2008) Mechanisms of ion channel regulation: from gene expression to localization. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. 65:2215-31.

Schulz DJ, Goaillard J-M, Marder E. 2007. Quantitative expression profiling of identified neurons reveals cell-specific constraints on highly variable levels of gene expression. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 104: 13187-13191.

Schulz, D.J., Goaillard, J-M., Marder, E. 2006. Variance in channel expression in the same neuron in different animals. Nature Neuroscience, 9: 356-362.

Schulz, D.J., Baines, R.A., Hempel, C.M., Li, L., Liss, B. and Misonou, H. 2006. Cellular excitability and the regulation of functional neuronal identity: from gene expression to neuromodulation. Journal of Neuroscience 26: 10362-10367.

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