Differential participation of pyramidal cells in generation of spontaneous sharp wave-ripples in the mouse subiculum in vitro

Previously stored information in the hippocampus is believed to be replayed during sharp wave-ripple activity thereby serving transfer of information from hippocampal areas CA3 and CA1 to the cortical mantle and memory consolidation. The subiculum represents the main hippocampal output and contains both regular spiking and burst firing neurons that may project to different targets in the CNS. We recorded laminar profiles and intracellular correlates of spontaneous subicular events in mouse horizontal hippocampal slices and investigated involvement of the different subtypes of subicular pyramidal cells. Subicular sharp wave-ripples (SWRs) depend on input from the CA3 and CA1 regions as shown by microdissection experiments between hippocampal subareas. The extracellular subicular waves are associated with multiple unit activity, which varies in form and size. Intracellular recordings reveal that the same pyramidal cell can show different responses to SWRs. In the majority of cases, SWRs cause subthreshold depolarizing potentials. Burster neurons regularly contribute to generation of SWRs by action potential firing, whereas regular-spiking neurons are often inhibited.