Anlian Qu

Dissecting a central flip-flop circuit that integrates contradictory sensory cues in C. elegans feeding regulation

Feeding behaviour is modulated by both environmental cues and internal physiological states. Appetite is commonly boosted by the pleasant smell (or appearance) of food and destroyed by a bad taste. In reality, animals sense multiple environmental cues at the same time and it is not clear how these sensory inputs are integrated and a decision is made to regulate feeding behaviour accordingly. Here we show that feeding behaviour in Caenorhabditis elegans can be either facilitated by attractive odours or suppressed by repellents. By identifying mutants that are defective for sensory-mediated feeding regulation, we dissected a central flip-flop circuit that integrates two contradictory sensory inputs and generates bistable hormone output to regulate feeding behaviour. As feeding regulation is fundamental to animal survival, we speculate that the basic organizational logic identified here in C. elegans is likely convergent throughout different phyla.

Differential Regulation of Action Potentials by Inactivating and Noninactivating BK Channels in Rat Adrenal Chromaffin Cells

Large-conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) (BK) channels can regulate cellular excitability in complex ways because they are able to respond independently to two distinct cellular signals, cytosolic Ca(2+) and membrane potential. In rat chromaffin cells (RCC), inactivating BK(i) and noninactivating (BK(s)) channels differentially contribute to RCC action potential (AP) firing behavior. However, the basis for these differential effects has not been fully established. Here, we have simulated RCC action potential behavior, using Markovian models of BK(i) and BK(s) current and other RCC currents. The analysis shows that BK current influences both fast hyperpolarization and afterhyperpolarization of single APs and that, consistent with experimental observations, BK(i) current facilitates repetitive firing of APs, whereas BK(s) current does not. However, the key functional difference between BK(i) and BK(s) current that accounts for the differential firing is not inactivation but the more negatively shifted activation range for BK(i) current at a given [Ca(2+)].

Zf-and-Hsys-based Cm measurement under the whole-cell patch-clamp recording.

Membrane capacitance (Cm) measurement, which measures and monitors plasma membrane capacitance and its changes of a cell, is one of the most important quantitative techniques and widely used in the studies of exocytosis and endocytosis. We present here a Zf-and-Hsys-based Cm measurement method (Z–H method) for our self-developed patch-clamp amplifier (PCA). The method adopts the complex impedance of the feedback resistor of the PCA and a transfer function, Hsys, of the main and stimulus paths to generate the impedance of a patch-clamped cell, which extends Gillis’ work for Cm measurements. The chief advantage of the approach is that it does not depend on idealized assumptions about the impedance supplied to the probe input by measuring the frequency responses of the various components of the PCA. Hsys is generated on “frequency grids” at different standard settings of the PCA, stored and managed by a simple database, and then retrieved for calculation of cell parameters, which results in a high efficiency. An algorithm for obtaining the trans-admittance of the slow capacitance compensation (C-slow) circuitry is provided to improve the accuracy of impedance measurements when the C-slow circuitry is turned on.

Three-Dimensional Tracking of Single Granules in Living PC-12 Cells Employing TIRFM and WFFM

A comparative study was carried out on evaluating the performance of total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) and deconvolution wide-field fluorescence microscopy (WFFM) in tracking single secretory granules. Both techniques have been applied to follow the three-dimensional mobility of single secretory granules in living neuroendocrine PC-12 cells. Both techniques return the similar result that most acridine orange-labeled granules were found to travel in random and caged diffusion, and only a small fraction of granules traveled in directed diffusion. Furthermore, the size and 3-D diffusion coefficient of secretory granules, obtained by these two imaging techniques, yield the same value. Together, our results demonstrate the potential of the combination TIRFM and WFFM in tracking long-termed motion of granules throughout live whole cells.

KATP channel is conveyed to plasma membrane by constitutive exocytosis

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels regulate many cellular functions by coupling the metabolic state of the cell to the changes in membrane potential. Truncation of C-terminal 26 amino acid residues of Kir6.2 protein (Kir6.2ΔC26) deletes its endoplasmic reticulum retention signal, allowing functional expression of Kir6.2 in the absence of sulfonylurea receptor subunit. pEGFP-Kir6.2ΔC26 and pKir6.2ΔC26-IRES2-EGFP expression plasmids were constructed and transfected into HEK293 cells. We identified that Kir6.2ΔC26 was localized on the plasma membrane and trafficked to the plasmalemma by means of constitutive exocytosis of Kir6.2ΔC26 transport vesicles, using epi-fluorescence and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. Our electrophysiological data showed that Kir6.2ΔC26 alone expressed KATP currents, whereas EGFP-Kir6.2ΔC26 fusion protein displayed no KATP channel activity.