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Research Groups

Ole Kiehn, M.D., D.Sci.

Ole Kiehn

The Kiehn Laboratory

Research Focus

The Kiehn laboratory studies the molecular, cellular, and network properties of spinal locomotor circuitries in mammals. In these studies, we use the in vitro rodent spinal cord which is an excellent preparation for experimental manipulation of rhythmic locomotor activity in mammals and is highly amenable to genetic manipulations of neuronal networks. Our lab has, in recent research, focused on characterizing interneuron circuitries in left-right alternation, both at the segmental and the intersegmental level, as well as characterizing excitatory interneuron networks engaged in rhythm generation. We use a broad technical approach involving electrophysiology, imaging, anatomy and mouse genetics. The lab is also in engaged in characterizing plasticity in interneuron and motor neurons following lesions of the cord.

Selected Publications

Kullander K , Butt SJB, Lebret J, Lundfald L, Restrepo E, Klein R, Kiehn, O

Role of EphA4 and EphrinB3 in local circuits that control walking.

Science 299: 1889-1892, 2003

Butt SJB, Kiehn O

Functional identification of interneurons responsible for left-right coordination of hindlimbs in mammals.

Neuron 38(6):953-963, 2003

Nishimaru H, Restrepo CE, Ryge J, Yanagawa Y, Kiehn O

Mammalian motor neurons corelease glutamate and acetylcholine at central synapses.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the U.S.A. 102: 5245-5249, 2005

Gosgnach S, Lanuza GM, Butt SJB, Saueressig H, Ying Zhang Y, Velasquez T, Callaway E, Kiehn O, Goulding M

V1 spinal neurons regulate the speed of vertebrate locomotor outputs.

Nature 440: 215-219, 2006

Kiehn O

Locomotor circuits in the mammalian spinal cord.

Annual Review in Neuroscience 29: 279-306, 2006