" ...Theoretical studies suggest that morphology is tightly tuned to minimize wiring and conduction delay of synaptic events. We utilize high-resolution confocal microscopy and custom computational tools to characterize the morphologies of four neuron types in the stomatogastric ganglion (STG) of the crab Cancer borealis. Macroscopic branching patterns and fine cable properties are variable within and across neuron types. We compare these neuronal structures to synthetic minimal spanning neurite trees constrained by a wiring cost equation and find that STG neurons do not adhere to prevailing hypotheses regarding wiring optimization principles. In this highly-modulated and oscillating circuit, neuronal structures appear to be governed by a space-filling mechanism that outweighs the cost of inefficient wiring."
Model Type: Neuron or other electrically excitable cell
Region(s) or Organism(s): Stomatogastric ganglion
Cell Type(s): Stomatogastric Ganglion (STG) Lateral Gastric (LG) cell; Stomatogastric Ganglion (STG) Lateral Pyloric (LP) cell; Stomatogastric ganglion (STG) pyloric dilator (PD) neuron; Stomatogastric Ganglion (STG) Gastric Mill (GM) cell
Model Concept(s): Detailed Neuronal Models; Influence of Dendritic Geometry; Methods; Invertebrate
Simulation Environment: NEURON (web link to model); Python (web link to model)
References:
Otopalik AG et al. (2017). Sloppy morphological tuning in identified neurons of the crustacean stomatogastric ganglion. eLife. 6 [PubMed]