The sections were then mounted in Vectashield (Vector Laboratories). For quantitative analysis, confocal image stacks from the MEC Cell Cycle inhibitor were obtained on a laser-scanning confocal microscope from four animals (5–10 histological sections each). Images were taken using a ×20 objective (NA 0.75) at 2 μm axial resolution and collected to cover the full extent of L2 and L3 of the MEC in the histological section. Image stacks obtained were registered and combined in Fiji (http://fiji.sc/wiki/index.php/Fiji) to form a montage of the sections. Additional higher resolution images

were taken using a ×60 objective (NA 1.3) at 0.5 μm axial resolution from selected areas. Immunostaining intensity for PV and VGAT over the neuropil of L2 and L3 was measured in 50 × 50 μm or 50 × 100 μm “regions of interests” positioned quasirandomly within 500 or 200 μm vertical wide strips of MEC in image planes from the top of the sections. Measured intensity values were normalized using the maximal intensity measured in each section. Putative GABAergic terminals and PV+ neuronal profiles were identified, and their numbers were determined in high-resolution image stacks of the immunolabeling for V-GAT by threshold-based segmentation using the “3D Objects Counter” plugin in Fiji. PF-01367338 solubility dmso Colocalization

of PV in V-GAT+ terminals was determined as the overlap in the segmented stacks. Cell densities were calculated using the optical dissector approach (West and Gundersen, 1990) from the full 50 μm thickness of the histological sections in 200 μm vertical strips of MEC from L2 and L3 separately. Regression analysis was performed on the two data sets plotted against the distance of the stripes along the DVA (measured from the dorsal end of the MEC to the midline of the stripes) using R software (http://www.r-project.org/). For graphical presentation, the data were rebinned at 1,000 μm, and mean ± SEM were plotted against the midposition of the pooled bins along the DVA. For studying gamma oscillations, slices were stored and recorded from in an interface-type recording chamber. The extracellular recording electrode was placed in

the superficial layers of MEC (LII), and baseline activity was recorded. Gamma oscillations were then induced by bath applying 300 nM kainate for up to 40 min. Both horizontal and sagittal slice Megestrol Acetate orientations that contained the MEC along with the rest of hippocampal formation were used. In sagittal preparations, two recording electrodes were used to record the gamma simultaneously from the dorsal and ventral MEC. In horizontal preparations, a dorsal and a ventral slice were recorded in parallel. In a subset of experiments, the GABAA receptor blocker gabazine (0.5 μM) was washed in to block inhibitory inputs. Male Wistar rats weighing 150–350 g were anesthetized with a combination of urethane and ketamine (Quilichini et al., 2010). The local field potential was recorded simultaneously using two tungsten electrodes (0.