Martinotti cell
Encyclopedia
Martinotti cells are small multipolar neurons with short branching dendrite
s. They are scattered throughout various layers of the cerebral cortex, sending their axons up to the cortical
layer I where they form axon
al arborization. The arbors transgress multiple columns
in layer VI and make contacts with the distal tuft dendrites of pyramidal cell
s.
Martinotti cells express somatostatin
and sometimes calbindin
, but not parvalbumin
or vasoactive intestinal peptide
.
Recent research suggests that Martinotti cells are associated with a cortical dampening mechanism. When the pyramidal
neuron, which is the most common type of neuron in the brain, starts getting overexcited, Martinotti cells start sending inhibitory signals to the surrounding neurons.
Historically, the discovery of Martinotti cells has been mistakenly attributed to Giovanni Martinotti 1888, although it is now accepted that they were actually discovered by Carlo Martinotti, a student of Camillo Golgi.
Dendrite
Dendrites are the branched projections of a neuron that act to conduct the electrochemical stimulation received from other neural cells to the cell body, or soma, of the neuron from which the dendrites project...
s. They are scattered throughout various layers of the cerebral cortex, sending their axons up to the cortical
Cerebral cortex
The cerebral cortex is a sheet of neural tissue that is outermost to the cerebrum of the mammalian brain. It plays a key role in memory, attention, perceptual awareness, thought, language, and consciousness. It is constituted of up to six horizontal layers, each of which has a different...
layer I where they form axon
Axon
An axon is a long, slender projection of a nerve cell, or neuron, that conducts electrical impulses away from the neuron's cell body or soma....
al arborization. The arbors transgress multiple columns
Cortical column
A cortical column, also called hypercolumn or sometimes cortical module, is a group of neurons in the brain cortex which can be successively penetrated by a probe inserted perpendicularly to the cortical surface, and which have nearly identical receptive fields...
in layer VI and make contacts with the distal tuft dendrites of pyramidal cell
Pyramidal cell
Pyramidal neurons are a type of neuron found in areas of the brain including cerebral cortex, the hippocampus, and in the amygdala. Pyramidal neurons are the primary excitation units of the mammalian prefrontal cortex and the corticospinal tract. Pyramidal neurons were first discovered and...
s.
Martinotti cells express somatostatin
Somatostatin
Somatostatin is a peptide hormone that regulates the endocrine system and affects neurotransmission and cell proliferation via interaction with G-protein-coupled somatostatin receptors and inhibition of the release of numerous secondary hormones.Somatostatin...
and sometimes calbindin
Calbindin
Calbindin refers to several calcium-binding proteins. They were originally described as vitamin D-dependent calcium-binding proteins in the intestine and kidney in the chick and mammals...
, but not parvalbumin
Parvalbumin
Parvalbumin is a calcium-binding albumin protein with low molecular weight .It has three EF hand motifs and is structurally related to calmodulin and troponin C...
or vasoactive intestinal peptide
Vasoactive intestinal peptide
Vasoactive intestinal peptide also known as the vasoactive intestinal polypeptide or VIP is a peptide hormone containing 29 amino acid residues that is produced in many tissues of vertebrates including the gut, pancreas and suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus in the brain...
.
Recent research suggests that Martinotti cells are associated with a cortical dampening mechanism. When the pyramidal
Pyramidal cell
Pyramidal neurons are a type of neuron found in areas of the brain including cerebral cortex, the hippocampus, and in the amygdala. Pyramidal neurons are the primary excitation units of the mammalian prefrontal cortex and the corticospinal tract. Pyramidal neurons were first discovered and...
neuron, which is the most common type of neuron in the brain, starts getting overexcited, Martinotti cells start sending inhibitory signals to the surrounding neurons.
Historically, the discovery of Martinotti cells has been mistakenly attributed to Giovanni Martinotti 1888, although it is now accepted that they were actually discovered by Carlo Martinotti, a student of Camillo Golgi.
News, press releases
- Rare cell prevents rampant brain activity - on the discovery of potential dampening influence of Martinotti cells.
- NIF Search - Martinotti Cell via the Neuroscience Information FrameworkNeuroscience Information FrameworkThe Neuroscience Information Framework is a repository of global neuroscience web resources, including experimental, clinical, and translational neuroscience databases, knowledge bases, atlases, and genetic/genomic resources.-Description:...