Yale Bulletin and Calendar

November 22-December 6, 1999

Volume 28, Number 14

New technique for recording activity inside cells may offer insights into diseases like Parkinson's

Yale researchers have developed a new method for recording the electrical activities within living cells, which could lead to better treatment for diseases like Parkinson's and provide clues to how learning occurs.

"This new technique offers the hope of understanding and treating degenerative neurological diseases such as Parkinson's," says Dr. Leonard Kaczmarek, professor of pharmacology at the School of Medicine and the study's principal investigator.

Abnormalities of mitochondria -- tiny organelles that produce the energy to keep all cells alive -- have long been suspected in diseases like Parkinson's. Because of their small size, it has previously been impossible to record the electrical activity of mitochondria in living cells.

The new technique of mitochondrial recording will allow scientists to study parts of cells that have been inaccessible. The technique, which is detailed in the Nov. 12 issue of Science, has already led to insights into how changes within neurons may underlie learning and memory.

Using the large nerve cells and connections of squid, the scientists devised a form of electrical recording that for the first time allowed them to observe the activity of mitochondria inside the synaptic terminal of a neuron, where information is passed from one neuron to the next.

"The effectiveness of this information transfer can change in time, and it is this kind of change that is thought to underlie learning," says Dr. Elizabeth A. Jonas, an investigator on the study who developed the technique.

Neurons are the cells of the nervous system that control behavior and moods. When a neuron receives a signal from the outside world or from another neuron, it has to have a way of "remembering" whether it has been stimulated previously. This is essential for the neuron to function properly.

"Part of this neuronal memory may occur in the mitochondria, and we were surprised to find that very brief stimulation of a neuron caused electrical behavior of the mitochondria to increase 60-fold," says Jonas, who is associate research scientist in pharmacology.

Although the neuron was stimulated for only one or two seconds, Jonas says, the mitochondria seemed to "remember" the stimulus for 30 seconds or more. This finding, coupled with earlier work, strongly suggests that the mitochondria prime the neuron to respond more effectively to new stimuli during this time.

Dr. JoAnn Buchanan of the department of molecular and cell physiology at Stanford University used electron microscopy to verify that the recordings were on mitochondria.

-- By Karen Peart

T H I SW E E K ' SS T O R I E S

Yale unveils new TV studio

National Building Museum pays double tribute to Scully

YSN students to learn about life with few resources

Media's quest for truth vital to U.S. society, says Thomas

Endowed Professorships

Ex-senator to discuss search for security in a 'fragmented century'

Yale Rep offers up 'A Cup of Coffee' by noted filmmaker

Peabody's mobile BioAction Lab inspires young 'scientists'

Holiday gift ideas galore available at campus shops

YALE CANCER CENTER NEWS
Symposium honors work of pioneering Yale researcher

Series to focus on compassionate patient care

DNA technology may help pinpoint causes of cancer

Center joins effort to create tests for early signs of cancer

Whiffenpoofs celebrate 90th anniversary

New technique for recording activity inside cells may offer insights into diseases . . .

Yale team is first to turn carbon dioxide into gel form

Astronomy sponsors its first reunion

Donaghue grants to support studies on women's health

Scientists' work may lead to creation of smaller, less costly computers

Student is now big Elm City fan, thanks to internship

Jazz legend Dave Brubeck and his quartet to perform

Miracle play reveals medieval views about St. Nicholas

Harshav to be honored

Two Yale scholars are honored with book prizes from the American Studies Association

Morgan's work featured in annual crafts show

. . In the News . . .