Tor antagonist, was used to isolate8564 ?J. Neurosci., June 3, 2015 ?35(22):8558 ?Baquero et al. ?Synaptic Distribution in Arcuate Nucleus NeuronsFigure 5. Functional actions of GABAB receptor in NAG neurons during postnatal development. Representative traces of NAG neurons in current-clamp mode in the presence of baclofen (20 M). A, Baclofen causes membrane hyperpolarization in NAG neurons at P13 15 (6 cells from 4 animals) and young adult (4 cells from 4 animals). Bar graphs show the effects of baclofen in the membrane potential of NAG neurons. B, Bar graphs show the magnitude of baclofen-mediated hyperpolarization in pups and adults. Results are shown as mean SEM; *p 0.05, **p 0.01 by paired t test. RMP, Resting membrane potential.sEPSCs (Fig. 6A). Through the end of the second week of age (P13 15), we observed that the number of excitatory currents was relatively abundant with a sEPSC frequency of 0.52 0.08 Hz (Fig. 6 A, C; n 7, 6 animals). After P21, when pups transition to autonomic feeding, there was no difference in the frequency of 7, 5 sEPSCs in NAG neurons (0.61 0.1 Hz; Fig. 5 A, B; n animals; p 0.05, ANOVA). In young adults, the number of sEPSCs stayed consistent and sEPSC frequency was 0.69 0.1 Hz (Fig. 6 A, B; n 11, 6 animals; p 0.05). Similar frequencies of EPSCs onto NAG neurons were observed in the presence of TTX in all age groups (Fig. 6C; n 25, 17 animals; p 0.05, ANOVA). There was no difference in amplitude of sEPSCs and mEPSCs between ages in these experiments (data not shown). To further characterize the correlation between the number of excitatory synaptic inputs and age in NAG neurons, we used postrecording immunohistochemistry for VGLUT2 in biocytinlabeled NPY-GFP neurons. We measured the area and circularity of VGLUT2-labeled synaptic boutons. We found that the size of VGLUT2 vesicles remain similar from postnatal development through adulthood (Fig. 1B; n 6 ?8 optical sections, 9 animals; p 0.05). The number of excitatory synapses onto the first 50 M of proximal processes of NAG neurons was analyzed. In general, NAG neurons had fewer VGLUT2 synapses in filled processes at P13 15 compared with older animals (Fig. 6 D, G; n 2? optical sections, 6 animals). By P21, the number of VGLUT2 synaptic boutons closely apposed to the filled processes increased 57 , but this difference did not reach significance 2? optical sections, 5 animals; p 0.05). In (Fig. 6 E, G; n young adult, the order AMG9810 amount of VGLUT2 appositions in proximal processes of NAG neurons remained similar to the P21 23 age (Fig. 6 F, G; n 2? optical sections, 6 animals). Furthermore, the overall AMG9810 molecular weight density of VGLUT2-labeled synaptic boutons in the ARH was similar throughout development (Table 1). Our results demonstrate that NAG neurons receive the same amount of glutamatergic inputs from postnatal development to adulthood. Age and diet-associated changes in synaptic distribution in NAG neurons Because we observed differences in synaptic transmission in NAG neurons throughout development, we next examined the effectsof diet and aging on the distribution of synaptic inputs in NAG neurons. We recorded sIPSCs and performed postrecording immunohistochemistry for VGAT in 17- to 18-week-old lean (denoted as adult-lean) and DIO (denoted as adult-DIO) mice. We found that the frequency of sIPSCs was significantly decreased in NAG neurons from adult-DIO mice compared with NAG neurons from age-matched lean mice (Fig. 7A; n 20, 11 animals; t(17) 2.4, p 0.02, unpaired t test.Tor antagonist, was used to isolate8564 ?J. Neurosci., June 3, 2015 ?35(22):8558 ?Baquero et al. ?Synaptic Distribution in Arcuate Nucleus NeuronsFigure 5. Functional actions of GABAB receptor in NAG neurons during postnatal development. Representative traces of NAG neurons in current-clamp mode in the presence of baclofen (20 M). A, Baclofen causes membrane hyperpolarization in NAG neurons at P13 15 (6 cells from 4 animals) and young adult (4 cells from 4 animals). Bar graphs show the effects of baclofen in the membrane potential of NAG neurons. B, Bar graphs show the magnitude of baclofen-mediated hyperpolarization in pups and adults. Results are shown as mean SEM; *p 0.05, **p 0.01 by paired t test. RMP, Resting membrane potential.sEPSCs (Fig. 6A). Through the end of the second week of age (P13 15), we observed that the number of excitatory currents was relatively abundant with a sEPSC frequency of 0.52 0.08 Hz (Fig. 6 A, C; n 7, 6 animals). After P21, when pups transition to autonomic feeding, there was no difference in the frequency of 7, 5 sEPSCs in NAG neurons (0.61 0.1 Hz; Fig. 5 A, B; n animals; p 0.05, ANOVA). In young adults, the number of sEPSCs stayed consistent and sEPSC frequency was 0.69 0.1 Hz (Fig. 6 A, B; n 11, 6 animals; p 0.05). Similar frequencies of EPSCs onto NAG neurons were observed in the presence of TTX in all age groups (Fig. 6C; n 25, 17 animals; p 0.05, ANOVA). There was no difference in amplitude of sEPSCs and mEPSCs between ages in these experiments (data not shown). To further characterize the correlation between the number of excitatory synaptic inputs and age in NAG neurons, we used postrecording immunohistochemistry for VGLUT2 in biocytinlabeled NPY-GFP neurons. We measured the area and circularity of VGLUT2-labeled synaptic boutons. We found that the size of VGLUT2 vesicles remain similar from postnatal development through adulthood (Fig. 1B; n 6 ?8 optical sections, 9 animals; p 0.05). The number of excitatory synapses onto the first 50 M of proximal processes of NAG neurons was analyzed. In general, NAG neurons had fewer VGLUT2 synapses in filled processes at P13 15 compared with older animals (Fig. 6 D, G; n 2? optical sections, 6 animals). By P21, the number of VGLUT2 synaptic boutons closely apposed to the filled processes increased 57 , but this difference did not reach significance 2? optical sections, 5 animals; p 0.05). In (Fig. 6 E, G; n young adult, the amount of VGLUT2 appositions in proximal processes of NAG neurons remained similar to the P21 23 age (Fig. 6 F, G; n 2? optical sections, 6 animals). Furthermore, the overall density of VGLUT2-labeled synaptic boutons in the ARH was similar throughout development (Table 1). Our results demonstrate that NAG neurons receive the same amount of glutamatergic inputs from postnatal development to adulthood. Age and diet-associated changes in synaptic distribution in NAG neurons Because we observed differences in synaptic transmission in NAG neurons throughout development, we next examined the effectsof diet and aging on the distribution of synaptic inputs in NAG neurons. We recorded sIPSCs and performed postrecording immunohistochemistry for VGAT in 17- to 18-week-old lean (denoted as adult-lean) and DIO (denoted as adult-DIO) mice. We found that the frequency of sIPSCs was significantly decreased in NAG neurons from adult-DIO mice compared with NAG neurons from age-matched lean mice (Fig. 7A; n 20, 11 animals; t(17) 2.4, p 0.02, unpaired t test.