Neural Microcircuits
The Retinal Microcircuits Laboratory is interested in the cellular and molecular basis of synaptic transmission and synaptic integration in the central nervous system. Our main goal is to understand and characterize the synaptic and cellular mechanisms employed by identified neurons and specific microcircuits for signal processing.
Affiliation
About the research group
Our lab is interested in the cellular and molecular basis of synaptic transmission and synaptic integration in the central nervous system. Our main goal is to understand and characterize the synaptic and cellular mechanisms employed by identified neurons and specific microcircuits for signal processing. The primary technique is that of聽 targeted patch-clamp recording of visually-identified neurons using voltage clamp, current clamp and dynamic clamp聽 recording configurations. This electrophysiological work is currently performed using an in vitro slice preparation of the rat retina, a preparation that offers the possibility to combine modern electrophysiological techniques with the use of natural stimuli to activate specific neuronal circuits.
Neural Microcircuits is part of the at the Department of Biomedicine.
Projects
Current projects include
- Performing combined multi-photon excitation imaging and patch-clamp recording to study healthy tissue and processes of neurodegeneration
- Performing Ca2+-imaging in retinal slices
- Performing quantitative morphological reconstructions of single neurons by computer-aided manual tracing of image stacks acquired with multi-photon excitation microscopy
- Constructing compartmental models of single neurons to study passive and active properties involved in signal processing
- Performing simultaneous multi-electrode recordings from neurons in specific microcircuits within the inner retina
- Studying the location and functional properties of NMDA receptors in retinal microcircuits
- Utilizing dynamic clamp to artificially insert synapses and conductances into neurons, enabling us to study the mechanisms underlying the dynamic properties of neurons and microcircuits.
- Performing confocal and STED microscopy to localize receptors and synaptic proteins to individual neurons
Publications
Recent Publications
Hartveit E, Veruki ML (2025). Bio-Protocol 15(1):e5147. doi: 10.21769/BioProtoc.5147.
Beltr谩n-Matas P, Hartveit E, Veruki ML (2023). . Frontiers in Ophthalmology 3 DOI=10.3389/fopht.2023.1134765 (Open access).
Liu JH, Peter DO, Guttormsen MSF, Hossain Md K, Gerking Y, Veruki ML, Hartveit E (2022). . Visual Neuroscience 39:E004 doi.org/10.1017/S0952523822000025 (Open access).
Beltr谩n-Matas P, Castilho 脕, Tencer B, Veruki ML*, Hartveit E* (2022). . European Journal of Neuroscience 55: 1442-1470 (*corresponding authors; Open access).
Hartveit E, Veruki ML, Zandt BJ (2022). . Journal of Neuroscience 42: 1630-1647.
Fournel R, Veruki ML, Hartveit E (2022). . Journal of Comparative Neurology doi: 10.1002/cne.25308. (Open access)
Liu JH, Singh JB, Veruki ML, Hartveit E (2021). The Journal of Comparative Neurology doi: 10.1002/cne.25210. (Open access)
Beltr谩n-Matas P, Hartveit E, Veruki ML (2021). . European Journal of Neuroscience doi: 10.1111/ejn.15325. (Open access)
Fournel R, Hartveit E, Veruki ML (2020). Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology (Open access:
Hartveit E, Veruki ML, Zandt BJ (2019). Physiological Reports 7:e14186. doi: 10.14814/phy2.14186. ()
Veruki ML, Zhou Y, Castilho 脕, Morgans CW, Hartveit E (2019). Journal of Neuroscience 2019 Jan 23;39:627-650.
Zandt BJ, Veruki ML, Hartveit E. (2018). . Brain Structure and Function doi: 10.1007/s00429-018-1696-z.
Veruki ML & Schubert T. (2018) . Current Biology 28(11):R662-R664. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.04.059.
Hartveit E, Zandt BJ, Madsen E, Castilho 脕, M酶rkve SH, Veruki ML. Brain Structure and Function 223(2):769-804. 2018 Mar;223(2):769-804.
Zandt BJ, Losneg氓rd A, Hodneland E, Veruki ML, Lundervold A, Hartveit E. (2017). Journal of Neuroscience Methods 279:101-118.
Zandt BJ, Liu JH, Veruki ML, Hartveit E. (2017). Brain Structure and Function 222(1):151-182.
Zhou Y, Tencerov谩 B, Hartveit E, Veruki ML. (2016). Journal of Neurophysiology 115:389-403.
Castilho 脕, Madsen E, Ambr贸sio AF, Veruki ML, Hartveit E (2015). . Journal of Neurophysiology 114: 1545-53.
Castilho 脕, Ambr贸sio AF, Hartveit E, Veruki ML (2015).. Journal of Neuroscience 35: 5422-33.
Hartveit E & Veruki ML (2012). . Brain Research. 1487:160-72.
Books
(2019) edited by Espen Hartveit. Springer Nature, Neuromethods Series, ISBN 978-1-4939-9702-2
Highlighted Publications
Hartveit E, Veruki ML, Zandt BJ (2022). . Journal of Neuroscience 42: 1630-1647.
Veruki ML, Zhou Y, Castilho 脕, Morgans CW, Hartveit E (2019). Journal of Neuroscience 2019 Jan 23;39:627-650.
Wang X, Veruki ML, Bukoreshtliev NV, Hartveit E, Gerdes HH (2010). . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences U S A. 107: 17194-9.
Castilho 脕, Ambr贸sio AF, Hartveit E, Veruki ML (2015).. Journal of Neuroscience 35: 5422-33.
Hartveit E & Veruki ML (2007). . Nature Protocols 2: 434-48.
Veruki ML, M酶rkve SH & Hartveit E (2006). . Nature Neuroscience 9: 1388-1396.
Veruki ML & Hartveit E (2002). . Journal of Neuroscience 22: 10558-10566.
Veruki ML & Hartveit E (2002). . Neuron 33: 935-946.
People
Group manager
Espen Hartveit Professor
Meg Veruki Professor
Group members
Matteo Stefano Luppi PhD candidate
Elaine Elizabeth Orendorff Postdoctoral Fellow
Aurea Castilho Head Engineer
Amanda Louisa Johnsen-Hernandez Master Student
Contact
Are you interested in our research, or do you have any questions? Please contact the research group manager, professor Espen Hartveit.
- Phone number
- +47 55586074
- Emails
- espen.hartveit@uib.no