Figure 3. Enhanced acquisition of repetitive motor routines requires NL3 expression in striatal D1-MSNs but not D2-MSNs.
(A) Illustration of genetic cross used to specifically delete NL3 from D1-MSNs.
(B-E) Rotarod performance of NL3-cKO mice without (n=16) and with D1-Cre (n=12). Time to fall off is presented at 4 to 40 rpm (B) and 8 to 80 rpm (C); the terminal speed of rotation (D) was used to calculate initial coordination and learning rate (E).
(F & G) Behavior of the same mice in a test of open field activity, showing time course of activity across the entire session (F) as well as total distance travelled and number of ambulatory episodes (G).
(H-N) Behavior of NL3-cKO mice without (n=8) and with A2a-Cre (n=10), which directs Cre expression exclusively to D2-MSNs.
(O) Illustration of cytosol aspiration from individual D1- and D2-MSNs of the NAc (top), and quantitative RT-PCR results from individual cells showing mRNA expression of cell type-specific markers (bottom).
(P-R) Relative mRNA expression quantified as the ratio between D1- and D2-MSNs, showing cell type-specific markers in the NAc (P) as well as neuroligins in the NAc (Q) and dorsal striatum (R).
Data are means ± SEM; *significant difference between groups (ANOVA). Also see Figures S3 & S4.