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An experiment to build from the results of this study is to use optogenetics in the same way except in other areas of the brain, not just the two areas in this study. Scientists could also do another experiment where they use a different method besides optogenetics and light-sensitive ion channels. They could just use gene disruption completely and let the genes do all the work with controlling the neurons. They could also do another experiment where they stimulate different types of neurons besides the medium spiny neurons but are still dopaminergic neurons. Another idea could be to use brains of different animals besides mice to see if they get similar or different results to this study. They could then gradually move on to using human brains if there are people who are willing to donate their brains to science.

In the article “Experimental evidence for a mismatch between insect emergence and waterfowl hatching under increased spring temperatures,” it states that insect emergence is mainly driven by temperature. This article shows that even changing a few degrees of temperature will affect whether insects will thrive or not. This information can be used to take into consideration the variation in temperature within both Morrill buildings and within the different floors.

The results of the experiment included high glutamate release in synapses between

medium spiny neurons within the nucleus accumbens of the mice brains. It was the opposite in the synapses between medium spiny neurons within the dorsal striatum of the mice brains. It is shown that the mouse lacking VGLUT2 ended up without glutamate release even with dopamine stimulation in the dorsal striatum.

The conclusions of this study include the nucleus accumbens’ ability to have its dopamine-producing neurons release dopamine and glutamate at the same time into synapses. This can mean that the nucleus accumbens has an increased ability when responding to stimuli that are significantly driven and motivated. Dopamine neurons being able to release glutamate along with dopamine can mean that they express something similar to a VGLUT2 that allows glutamate to be packaged into synaptic and secretory vesicles. This shows that glutamate does not need the light-stimulation release of dopamine. Glutamate just gets released by dopamine neurons themselves. Despite this happening in the nucleus accumbens, it is not the same for the dorsal striatum. This shows that VGLUT2 is still needed for glutamate to be gathered into synaptic vesicles in order to be released into synaptic terminals containing dopamine. As of now, the nucleus accumbens is the only exception because it does not need VGLUT2 to release glutamate. The conclusions for the most part follow logically from the design and results. Just because VGLUT2 is not needed in the nucleus accumbens does not mean dopamine itself can release glutamate with it. There could be a different factor besides the VGLUT2 and the dopamine that could be causing the glutamate release.

The methodological approach used was the expression of Channelrhodopsin-2 in mice

neurons that produce dopamine. Channelrhodopsin-2 is a light-sensitive cation channel that responds to light when stimulated. The stimulation by light causes dopamine release from synaptic terminals in the nucleus accumbens and the dorsal striatum. In order to find out whether glutamate will still be released along with dopamine when dopamine is released, VGLUT2 in a mouse was removed. The stimulation was also done on the mouse that lacked the vesicular glutamate transporter known to be needed for releasing glutamate into synaptic terminals. This was to determine whether glutamate would still be released with dopamine even without VGLUT2 and only on dopamine stimulation alone.

The system the authors use to answer the question is optogenetics. Optogenetics is when

one controls cells that have been injected with ion channels that respond to light. These ion channels are called light-sensitive ion channels. This system allows for gene disruption within the targeted cells in order to provide stimulus to the synaptic terminals to have dopamine released into them. While this is taking place scientists can then record the postsynaptic currents within the synapses that have dopamine in them. This can be specifically used to target the dopamine neurons in the dorsal striatum and nucleus accumbens. This can also target the cells in mice that do not have VGLUT2 in their neurons that still produce dopamine. VGLUT2 stands for vesicular glutamate transporters. They allow glutamate to be put into synaptic vesicles along with secretory vesicles. This is so that glutamate can be released into the synaptic terminals.

The question of this study is whether neurons that produce and release the neurotransmitter dopamine can also release the neurotransmitter glutamate into synapses within the adult brain. The rationale of the question is that it is known some neurons producing and releasing dopamine are also able to release glutamate at the same time while releasing dopamine. The relevance of the question is that this occurrence is still not very well understood to this day. Therefore, scientists would like to find out more about this occurrence. This is because scientists believe that dopamine and glutamate directory and signaling is critical when it comes to many human driven behaviors. 

The human body has two lungs located in their chest. The right lung is bigger than the left lung. The right lung has three lobes while the left lung has two lobes. The lobes of the right lung are the upper, middle, and lower. The lobes of the left lung are upper and lower. Each lobe of the lung has segments. The upper lobe of the right lung has segments called the apical, anterior, and posterior. The middle lobe of the right lung has segments called medial and lateral. The lower lobe of the right lung has segments called superior, anterior, posterior, medial, and lateral. The upper lobe of the left lung has segments called anterior and apicoposterior. The lower lobe of the left lung has segments called superior, anterior, posterior, medial, and lateral. 

The circulatory system consists of the heart pumping blood to the rest of the body. This is to provide oxygen to the tissues in order for them to function. One of the circulation theories of the body is that blood flow to the tissue is almost always controlled in realation to tissue needs. This is because the heart cannot send blood everywhere at the same time at the same rate. There are times when there's low oxygen or increasing dilating metabolic products in certain tissues compared to the rest of the body. The blood would therefore flow at an increased rate to that affected area.