Astrocytes and Epileptogenesis
The research focus of the Astrocytes and Epileptogenesis lab concerns the study of glial cells and their role in information processing in the healthy and diseased brain. Similar to neurons, glial cells express a variety of ion channels, membrane receptors, and transporters. Subpopulations of glial cells receive direct synaptic input from neurons, or they respond to neuronal activity by increasing their intracellular calcium concentration and releasing neurotransmitters, e.g., glutamate, ATP, or D-serine.
Electrophysiological, molecular, and imaging investigation methods are combined to decipher the mechanisms of these previously largely misunderstood forms of neuron-glia interactions and better understand glial cells' functional heterogeneity.
Of particular interest to us is the hippocampus, a brain region important for learning and memory. We perform these studies primarily in acute preparations, i.e., in isolated cells or acute brain slices from mice.
An important focus of our research is to identify the causes of epilepsy. Here, we apply our methods to glial cells and neurons in acute, live preparations of the human hippocampus. We obtain the tissue samples during neurosurgical procedures in patients suffering from pharmacoresistant temporal lobe epilepsy. Complementary animal models of epilepsy are being studied. The goal of these studies is to better understand the role of glial cells in the development and propagation of epileptic seizures.
Our research projects are funded by the DFG, BMBF, and the EU.
Astrocytes and Epileptogenesis
Address
Building 81, Room 68, ground floor
Venusberg-Campus 1
53127 Bonn
Dr. Peter Bedner
Address
Building 81, Room 68, ground floor
Venusberg-Campus 1
53127 Bonn