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Lee Group member Autumn Schumacher in the Biomedical Laboratory |
Neurons are amazing computational devices capable of both robust response to widely varied input and adaptability to changing conditions. The overarching goal of the research in the Lee Group is to probe the inner workings of neurons to determine how whole cell behavior arises from constituent sub-cellular structures. Motoneurons are ideal cells for this exercise due to the wide variety of behaviors they exhibit. For example, in the presence of neuromodulators such as serotonin and nor-epinephrine, motoneurons can greatly amplify their inputs resulting in greater output and much greater physical force. In addition, their firing rate is bistable. The same properties that make them of interest also pose challenges to study. In response, the Lee Group develops and utilizes novel electrophysiological methods to deal with the large cell size and dynamic electrical properties. We also develop original computer models of neuronal behavior that help to break down the many factors that influence the input-output relationship of the cell. Not only do these models help to interpret results, they have also led to improved experimental protocols. This multi-faceted approach has already shown that some long held beliefs about the intrinsic behavior of motoneurons have never been properly examined. The combination of in vitro, in vivo, and computational modeling is the key to our current and future work.