Figure 3. Gene-targeting of Neto1 alters synaptic kainate receptor function.

a | In situ hybridization demonstrates that neuropilin and tolloid-like 1 (NETO1) and NETO2 are expressed in the hippocampal region of adult mice. Neto1 mRNA is much more prominent in the pyramidal cell layers, especially in the CA3 region. NETO2 is present in scattered neurons in all regions. b | Idealized kainate receptor-mediated excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs_KA) from wild-type (black) and Neto1^−/− mice demonstrate the much faster decay of the latter. c | Spike probability during a brief 3 Hz train of mossy fibre stimuli shows that CA3 pyramidal neurons are more likely to fire an action potential when kainate receptor currents are slowly decaying (wild-type; black) than in the faster gating Neto1^−/− mice (red). d | Facilitation of mixed AMPA–kainate EPSCs by low frequencies of stimulation is similar in wild-type and Neto1^−/− mice, which is consistent with the interpretation that presynaptic kainate receptor function is intact in the Neto1^−/− mice. Part a is modified from the Allen Mouse Brain Atlas © (2012) Allen Institute for Brain Science. Parts b, c and d were modified, with permission, from REF. 7 © (2011) Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved. DG, dentate gyrus.