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Cellular Neurophysiology Group, Jakob Wolfart

We investigate the functioning of neurons and the underlying molecular mechanisms, in particular ion channel expression but also synaptic integration into the neuronal network. A current research focus of our group is the intrinsic and synaptic plasticity that occurs in dentate gyrus granule cells during temporal lobe epilepsy. For this we use patch-clamp recordings in combination with pharmacological, immunocytochemical, morphological and computational analysis. The figure shows an example of a recorded and reconstructed granule cell from a patient whose hippocampus had been resected for seizure control. Granule cell nuclei are marked in red (with Prox1). Scale bar 100 µm.

Address

Cellular Neurophysiology (Wolfart)
Dept. of Neurosurgery
University Medical Center Freiburg
Breisacher Strasse 64
79106 Freiburg, Germany

Lab members

Jakob Wolfart (CV) Assistant Professor, D.Phil. (Oxford), Dipl. Biol. Phone office: +49-761-270-52850 lab -52270 Fax: 0761-270-52850 Email: jakob.wolfart at uniklinik-freiburg.de
Michael Stegen Ph.D., Pharmacist Phone office: 0761-270-53580 lab -52270 Email: michael.stegen at uniklinik-freiburg.de
Alexander Hanuschkin Ph.D., Dipl. Phys. Phone office: 0761-270-53310 Email: alexander.hanuschkin at uniklinik-freiburg.de
Florian Kirchheim Ph.D. student, Dipl. Biol. Phone office: 0761-270-53580 lab -52270 Email: florian.kirchheim at uniklinik-freiburg.de

Former lab members

Christina Young
Ph.D., Dipl. Biol.
New Address:
Institut für Anatomie und Zellbiologie
Tel.: +49-761-203-9522
Email: christina.young at anat.uni-freiburg.de

Research interests

• Signal integration in neurons
• Neurobiology of epilepsy
• Function of ion channels
• Intrinsic and synaptic plasticity in neurons

Research methods

• In vitro patch-clamp electrophysiology
• Morphology and immunocytochemistry
• Computer models of neurons

Publications

• Stegen M, Kirchheim F, Hanuschkin A, Staszewski O, Veh RW, Wolfart J (2011).
  Adaptive Intrinsic Plasticity in Human Dentate Gyrus Granule Cells during Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.
  Cerebral Cortex, in press, doi:10.1093/cercor/bhr294. [pdf]
  
  
• Häussler U, Bielefeld L, Froriep UP, Wolfart J, Haas CA (2011).
  Septotemporal Position in the Hippocampal Formation Determines Epileptic and Neurogenic Activity in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.
  Cerebral Cortex, in press, doi:10.1093/cercor/bhr054
  
  
• Young CC, Stegen M, Bernard R, Muller M, Bischofberger J, Veh R, Haas CA, Wolfart, J (2009)
  Upregulation of inward rectifier K+ (Kir2) channels in dentate gyrus granule cells in temporal lobe epilepsy.
  Journal of Physiology 587, 4213-4233. [pdf]
  
  Comment by Vida I. (2009). 'Leaky' neurons in the epileptic hippocampus: should we get excited? Journal of Physiology 587, 4127-4128. [pdf]
  
  
• Stegen M, Young CC, Haas CA, Zentner J, Wolfart, J (2009).
  Increased leak conductance in dentate gyrus granule cells of temporal lobe epilepsy patients with Ammon’s horn sclerosis.
  Epilepsia 50, 646-653. [pdf]
  
  
• Wolfart J, Debay D, Le Masson G, Destexhe A, Bal T (2005).
  Synaptic background activity controls spike transfer from thalamus to cortex.
  Nature Neuroscience 8, 1760-1767. [pdf]
  
  
• Debay D, Wolfart J, Le Franc Y, Le Masson G, Bal T (2005).
  Exploring spike transfer through the thalamus using hybrid artificial-biological neuronal networks.
  Journal of Physiology (Paris) 98, 540-558.
  
  
• Salthun-Lassalle B, Hirsch EC, Wolfart J, Ruberg M, Michel P (2004).
  Rescue of Mesencephalic Dopaminergic Neurons in Culture by Low-Level Stimulation of Voltage-gated Sodium Channels.
  Journal of Neuroscience 24, 5922-5930.
  
  
• Wolfart J, Roeper J (2002).
  Selective Coupling of T-type Calcium Channels to SK Potassium Channels Prevents Intrinsic Bursting in Dopaminergic Midbrain Neurons.
  Journal of Neuroscience 22, 3404-3413. [pdf]
  
  
• Wolfart J, Neuhoff H, Franz O, Roeper J (2001).
  Differential Expression of the Small-Conductance, Calcium-Activated Potassium Channel SK3 Is Critical for Pacemaker Control in Dopaminergic Midbrain Neurons.
  Journal of Neuroscience 21, 3443-3456. [pdf]
  
  
• Prechtl JC, von der Emde G, Wolfart J, Karamursel S, Akoev GN, Andrianov YN, Bullock TH (1998).
  Sensory Processing in the Pallium of a Mormyrid Fish.
  Journal of Neuroscience 18, 7381-7393. [pdf]
  
  

Publications of J. Wolfart on researcherID

External funding

• Since 2008: Collaborative Research Center SFB 780 (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG)
• 2006-2008: Juniorprofessoren-Programm (Ministry of Science, Research, and The Arts, Baden-Württemberg)

Links

• Information about the brain (german): DasGehirn.info
• Collaborative Research Center: SFB 780 (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG)
• German Neuroscience Society: NWG
• Society for Neuroscience: SFN

• deutsch