Laboratories
Semyanov Research Unit
Alexey SEMYANOV
Unit Leader
Alexey SEMYANOV (Ph.D.)
mail

Research Areas

We use electrophysiological and imaging techniques to reveal the functions of extrasynaptic interactions in the brain. This involves studying release and uptake of extrasynaptic signalling molecules, their diffusion in the extracellular space, and localisation and properties of their receptors.

Research Subject

  1. Role of astrocytes in synaptic transmission and extrasynaptic signaling (Wu, Y-W)
  2. Tonic activation of extrasynaptic GABA receptors in neurons of GAD65 knockout animals (Song, I, Brenner T.)
  3. Functional role of cell compartment specific activation of extrasynaptic NMDA receptors (Wu, Y-W)
  4. Regulation of glutamate transporter function in astrocytes (Shih, P-Y)

Related links

  1. RIKEN Brain Science Institute Website_Laboratories PageNew Window
  2. Individual Website Laboratory PageNew Window

RIKEN RESEARCH

November 25, 2011
Conducting how neurons fire
Research on the mechanism that controls neuron firing in the rat brain reveals a surprise for neuroscientistsNew Window

List of Selected Publications

  1. Scimemi, A., Semyanov, A., Sperk, G., Kullmann, DM., and Walker, MC.:
    " Multiple and plastic receptors mediate tonic GABAA receptor currents in the hippocampus"
    J.Neurosci., 25(44) (2005).
  2. Semyanov, A., Walker, M.C., Kullmann, D.M., and Silver, R.A.:
    " Tonically active GABAA receptors: modulating gain and maintaining the tone"
    Trends in Neurosciences, 27 262-269 (2004).
  3. Semyanov, A., Walker, M.C., and Kullmann, D.M.:
    " GABA uptake regulates cortical excitability via cell type-specific tonic inhibition"
    Nature Neurosci., 6 484-490 (2003).
  4. Semyanov, A. and Kullmann, D.M.:
    " Kainate receptor-dependent axonal depolarization and action potential initiation in interneurons"
    Nature Neurosci., 4, 718-723 (2001).
  5. Semyanov, A. and Kullmann, D.M.:
    " Modulation of GABAergic signaling among interneurons by metabotropic glutamate receptors"
    Neuron, 25, 663-672 (2000).
  6. Semyanov, A.:
    " Can diffuse extrasynaptic signaling form a guiding template"
    Neurochem Int. 2008 Jan;52(1-2):31-3
  7. Rama S, Vetrivel L, and Semyanov A.:
    " Second-harmonic generation voltage imaging at subcellular resolution in rat hippocampal slices"
    J Biophotonics, 3(12), 784-90 (2010)
  8. Wanaverbecq N, Semyanov A, Pavlov I, Walker MC and Kullmann DM.:
    " Cholinergic Axons Modulate GABAergic Signaling among Hippocampal Interneurons via Postsynaptic 7 Nicotinic Receptors"
    J.Neurosci. 2007 V.27(21):5683-5693
  9. Pavlov I, Savtchenko L, Kullmann DK, Semyanov A, Walker MC.:
    " Outwardly rectifying tonically active GABAA receptors in pyramidal cells modulate neuronal offset, not gain"
    J.Neurosci. 2009, 29(48):15341-15350
  10. Song I, Savtchenko L, and Semyanov A.:
    " Tonic excitation or inhibition is set by GABA(A) conductance in hippocampal interneurons"
    Nat Commun, 2, 376 (2011)

Members

Principal Investigator

Alexey SEMYANOV
Unit Leader

Members

Inseon SONG
Research Scientist
Evgenia MALININA
Visiting Researcher
Pei-Yu SHIH
Research Associate
Yu-Wei WU
Research Associate
Iuliia DEMBITCKAIA
Research Associate
Akiko ASHIKARI
Assistant
Leonid Petrovich SAVCHENKO
Visiting Scientist
Mikhail DRUZIN
Visiting Scientist
Victor KAZANTSEV
Visiting Scientist
Zeug Steffen ANDRE
Visiting Scientist
Wei-Shan LAI
Part-time Staff