cells don't fire without axon

Managing anatomically complex model cells with the CellBuilder. Importing morphometric data with NEURON's Import3D tool or Robert Cannon's CVAPP. Where to find detailed morphometric data.
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alexandrapierri
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Joined: Wed Jun 17, 2015 5:31 pm

cells don't fire without axon

Post by alexandrapierri »

hello

I am using a L23 pyramidal neuron from the HBP cortical microcircuit, Aberra et al 2018 https://senselab.med.yale.edu/ModelDB/S ... del=241165. I replace the morphology of a L23 cortical cell with my own morphology, but I preserve mechnanisms and synapse distribution from the HBP. If I use soleley the dendritic arborization the cells don't fire, however if I add an axon the cells do fire. As I currently do not have complete axonal reconsrucions at my disposal I would prefer not to use an axon. From previous experience with other models I've seen that neuronal models do fire without modelling of the axon. How can make my model fire in the absence of an axonal reconsruction, or do I sill need even a simple one?

In that case, what is the easiest solution to my problem? I would be looking for a simple axonal structure in the format of "swc" but so far I have only found more complex "hoc" axonal reconsructions in MODELDB.

thank you,
Alexandra
ted
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Re: cells don't fire without axon

Post by ted »

neuronal models do fire without modelling of the axon
A correct statement would replace "do" with "may" and add the conditional clause "if appropriate voltage gated channels are included." So there's your choice: add appropriate voltage gated channels to your model, or add an axon that has appropriate anatomical and biophysical properties.
what is the easiest solution to my problem?
From a scientific standpoint the proper question would replace "easiest" with "most appropriate". It's your model, and the choice is entirely yours, but if you expect to publish your work, you must be able to justify your decisions to reviewers, who are always skeptical. When deciding what to include in a computational model, it is often helpful to appeal to relevant experimental literature. Or you could appeal to precedent, that is, what did others do who published models of these or similar cells? ModelDB might help with that. Even better if you can make both arguments.
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