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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Sep 24.
Published in final edited form as: Neuroscience. 2015 Jul 23;304:161–175. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.07.052

Figure 1. α6 expression and rationale for the chosen model.

Figure 1

A) Schematic of VTA neuron connectivity. Whereas α4 subunits are expressed in both DA and GABA neurons in VTA, α6 subunits are specifically expressed in DA neurons but excluded from GABA neurons.

B) In α6L9S mice, a Leu to Ser mutation was introduced at the 9′ position within transmembrane domain 2 of the α6 nAChR subunit protein. This mutation increases the sensitivity of the population of channels containing the mutant α6 subunit, allowing ligands such as ACh and nicotine to selectively activate these channels when low concentrations are used. The theoretical concentration response curve for most responses involving α6-containing receptors is left-shifted.