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Spring Quarter:  March 23- April 10, 2026
Instructors: Jennifer Morgan and Joshua Rosenthal (MBL)
UChicago Course Number: NSCI21510

Course Description:

In this course, students will learn about the fundamentals of synapses and excitability, from molecular analysis to electrophysiology to structure and function. If you are interested in cell and molecular neuroscience, this course is for you! Marine and aquatic models have historically provided a unique opportunity to investigate synaptic function and electrical signaling due to the large size of their neurons, including the synaptic connections. Today, these models are used to study basic principles of neuron-to-neuron communication (synaptic transmission), as well as disease mechanisms. In addition to lectures and discussions of key literature, this course will feature hands-on laboratory-based exercises in molecular genetics, imaging and physiology of synapses, as well as independent "discovery" projects to explore new topics in synapse biology.

The course will feature brief morning lectures followed by student led discussions of primary research articles, which will include both classics and recent literature. After a lunch break, students will return to the laboratory for the afternoon. During the first week, students will engage in lab rotations, which will provide a series of demonstrations and exercises on synapses and ion channels from marine and aquatic organisms using molecular, electrophysiological and imaging techniques. During the last 2 weeks, students will use these preparations to carry out independent projects in small groups, guided by the instructors and teaching assistants. The course will end with a symposium where the student groups will give oral presentations on their independent projects and any results obtained.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes:

At the end of the course, students will have a solid understanding of the fundamentals of synapse biology, including: ion channels and neurotransmitter receptors, excitability, synaptic transmission (presynaptic and postsynaptic mechanisms), synaptic plasticity, synaptic vesicle (membrane) trafficking, and disease mechanisms. Additionally, students will also have gained hands-on laboratory experience in the field of synapse biology, including electrophysiology and imaging techniques.

Course Structure:

Morning Lectures: Brief Morning Lectures followed by student discussion on primary research articles.

Week 1: Lecture/Discussion Topics: Classical Squid Preparations (Axon and Synapse), Ion Channels, Excitability, Postsynaptic Plasticity- Receptors, Neurotransmitter Junction, Synaptic homeostasis

Week 2: Lecture/Discussion Topics: Classical Lamprey Preparations (Axon and Synapse), Neurotransmitter release, Vesicle Endocytosis, Synaptic vesicle clustering mechanisms

Week 3: Lecture/Discussion Topics: Synapse regeneration, Modeling Parkinson’s disease at Lamprey Synapses,

Lab Rotations (Weeks 1 and 2):

During the first week of the course, the afternoons will feature lab rotations to familiarize students with several different tractable synapse preparations. Students, working in small groups, will work with instructors to accomplish the following:

1. Molecular Biology of neurotransmitter receptors (2 days): students will be given sequences for cephalopod proteins that are suspected of being neurotransmitter receptors or voltage-dependent ion channels. Using on-line tools, the existing biomedical literature and bioinformatics datasets on hand, they will fully characterize the proteins in terms of annotation, domain architecture, novelties and post-transcriptional modifications through RNA editing. (Rosenthal)

2. Electrophysiology of neurotransmitter receptors and ion channels (3 days): Students will be given mRNA encoding the same neurotransmitter receptors from rotation 2. These RNAs will then be microinjected into Xenopus oocytes and the resulting electrical currents will be characterized using voltage clamp. This work, in conjunction with rotation #1, can extend into independent projects using electrophysiological and bioinformatics approaches to more fully characterize the neurotransmitter sequences that were provided to the students. (Rosenthal).

3. Imaging Synapses (5 days): This rotation makes use of the lamprey giant reticulospinal synapse model. We will perform lamprey spinal cord dissections, electron microscopy on synapses, and acute microinjections to label synapses in living spinal axons. We will also perform immunofluorescence labeling of lamprey spinal cord section using antibodies, some of which label synapses and others of which are new and untested. Students will observe synapses and other structures within the spinal cord and will determine activity-dependent changes in synapse size, distribution, and other morphological features. (Morgan)

Independent Projects (Week 3): Students, with guidance from the instructors, will select their independent projects from the rotations listed above and will follow up on the rotation experiments with added variables (e.g. different experimental manipulations). Students will work in groups of 2-3 people for the duration of the projects. Instructors will assess each project for feasibility before beginning. Instructors and TAs will closely guide the independent projects. The intent of these projects is to engage students in novel “discovery” science in the field of synapse biology.