Florian Engert
Synaptic plasticity: cellular mechanisms, development of functional networks and links to behavior

My laboratory's interest lies in activity-dependent synaptic plasticity with respect to its relevance for learning and memory as well as the underlying physiological and molecular mechanisms.

Our work uses in-vivo preparations of tadpole and zebrafish as model systems to examine the development and activity dependent plasticity of retinotectal connections. Using double and triple patch recordings on intact animals it is possible to specifically look at the connection between one or two retinal ganglion cells and a postsynaptic tectal cell. We also use the natural stimulus (light) to activate presynaptic neurons and induce changes in synaptic efficacy. To detect correlated morphological changes, pre- and postsynaptic neurons are stained either via expression of fluorescent proteins or directly with a fluorescent dye via the patch-pipette and imaged online with a two-photon microscope.

To uncover causal connections between behaviour and synaptic activity, we are also identifying and examining learning-defective mutants of zebrafish with the hope of examining and correlating changes in learning behaviour and synaptic and morphological plasticity on the molecular, cellular and behavioural levels.
Overall, this work will provide in vivo system in which learning and synaptic plasticity in vertebrates can be tightly correlated on the molecular, morphological, and systems levels.

Publications:
Engert, F., Paulus, G.G., Bonhoeffer, T. 1996. A low-cost UV laser for flash photolysis of caged compounds. J. Neurosci. Methods 66: 47-54.

Engert, F., Bonhoeffer, T. 1997. Synapse specificity of long-term potentiation breaks down at short distances. Nature 388: 279-284.

Engert, F., Bonhoeffer, T. 1999. Dendritic spine changes associated with hippocampal long-term synaptic plasticity. Nature 399: 66-70. (selected breakthrough of the year in the neurosciences by Science magazine)

Engert, F., Tao, H.W., Zhang, L,I., Poo, M.M. 2001. Emergence of Input Specificity of LTP in a Developing Retinotectal System. Neuron 31: 569-580.

Engert, F., Tao, H.W., Zhang, L.I. and Poo, M.M. 2002. Moving visual stimuli rapidly induce direction sensitivity of developing tectal neurons. Nature 419: 470-475.

Zou, Y., Engert, F. and Tao, H.W. 2004. The assembly of neural circuits. Neuron 43: 159-163.