Sensory, cognitive, and emotional processing are rooted in the cerebral cortex. The cerebral cortex is comprised of six layers defined by the neurons within them that have distinctive connection, both within cortex itself and with other subcortical structures. Although still far from solving the mysteries of the mind, it is clear that networks form by neurons in the cerebral cortex provide the computational substrate for a remarkable range of behaviours. This neuron to neuron activation is mediated through dendritic spines, the postsynaptic target of most excitatory synapses in the cerebral cortex. Dendritic spines are small protrusions found along dendrites of neurons, and their number, as well as structural changes, accompany the development of synapses and establishment of neuronal networks. In fact, dendritic spines undergo rapid structural and functional changes guided by neuronal activity. This marriage between structural and functional plasticity, makes dendritic spines crucial in fine-tuning of networks in the brain; not surprisingly, dendritic spine aberrations are a hallmark of multiple neurodevelopmental, neuropsychiatric, and neurodegenerative disorders. With this in mind, I considered Pannexin 1 (Panx1) an interesting novel candidate for a regulatory role on cortical neuronal network and dendritic spine development, for the following reasons. First, Panx1 transcripts are enriched in the brain and in the cortex are most abundant during the embryonic and early postnatal period. . This timing roughly corresponds to a period of synaptogenesis in the postnatal brain. Second, Panx1 localizes to postsynaptic compartments in neurons and its disruption leads to enhance excitability and potentiation of neuron-to neuron communication. Third, disruption of Panx1 (either knockdown or pharmacological blockade) leads to neurite outgrowth in neuron-like cells. Lastly, genetic variants in PANX1 have been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. This dissertation explores the role of Panx1 in the development of dendritic spines and neuronal networks, furthering our understanding on cortical development and placing Panx1 as a novel regulator of structural and functional plasticity in the brain. Chapter 1 discusses core concepts on cortical development, with an emphasis on pyramidal neuron, the most abundant and only known projection neurons in the cerebral cortex. Here, I review the embryonic origin of pyramidal neurons, their postnasal development, and how cortical circuits are assembled. I finish this chapter with a brief review on Panx1 and its known expression and involvement in neuronal function. In Chapter 2 I explore the functional properties of neuronal networks and synaptic composition of cortical neurons in the absence of Panx1. Using live cell imaging and analysis of Ca2+ transients in dense primary cortical cultures, revealed that Panx1 knock-out (KO) cultures exhibit more and larger groups of significantly co-activated neurons, known as network ensembles. These network properties were not explained by differences in cell viability or cell-type composition. Examination of protein expression from cortical synaptosome preparations revealed that Panx1 is enriched in synaptic compartments, while also confirming a developmental downregulation. This analysis also revealed increased levels of the postsynaptic scaffolding protein PSD-95, along with the postsynaptic glutamate receptors GluA1 and GluN2A. Lastly, ex vivo tracing of dendritic spines on apical dendrites of Layer 5 pyramidal neurons in global and glutamatergic-specific Panx1 KO brain slices revealed higher spine densities in early and late postnatal development, with no differences in spine length. Analysis of dendritic spine densities in fixed cultured cortical neurons revealed an increase associated with Panx1 KO. Altogether, this work presents for the first time a connection between Panx1 and structural development of dendritic spines and suggest that Panx1 regulates cortical neuronal networks through changes in spine density. Chapter 3 examines the influence of Panx1 on spiny protrusions growth and movement. Spiny protrusion are long, thin, highly dynamic spine precursors. Taking advantage of a fluorescent signal localized to the plasma membrane, I visualized spiny protrusions and quantified their dynamics in wildtype (WT) and Panx1 KO developing cortical neurons, both under fixed and live conditions. I found that transient Panx1 expression is associated with decreased spiny protrusion density both in WT and Panx1 KO neurons. Using live cell imaging, I found that spiny protrusions are more stable and less motile in Panx1 KO neurons, while its transient expression reversed both of these phenotypes. These results suggest that Panx1 regulation of dendritic spines development is rooted partly in the regulation of spiny protrusion dynamics. Overall, this dissertation demonstrates that Panx1 negatively regulates dendritic spines in part by influencing spiny protrusion dynamics. It is reasonable to speculate that Panx1 regulation of dendritic spines underlies its newly discovered role in the formation network ensembles, providing a putative mechanism for previously described roles of Panx1 in synaptic plasticity. Likewise, this body of work furthers our understanding of Panx1 by filling some of the gaps attached to its developmental expression and association with neurodevelopmental disease. / Graduate / 2021-04-16

Carotid body (CB) receptor type I cells transduce blood-borne chemical stimuli into electrical signals and release the excitatory neurotransmitter ATP onto afferent terminals that project to the breathing centre located in the brainstem. Within the CB, type I cells are ensheathed by glial-like processes of type II cells. Recently, it was hypothesized that type II cells have a paracrine function in CB chemotransduction by acting as an ATP amplifier and enhancing chemoexcitation (Zhang et al. 2012). Given this recent development, the primary goal of this thesis was to further elucidate the paracrine function of type II cells and characterize the signalling mechanisms involved in type I and type II cell interactions. Ratiometric calcium imaging was used to investigate type II cell sensitivity to two prominent CB neuromodulators, angiotensin II (ANG II) and 5-HT, in rat CB cultures. Both ANG II and 5-HT elicited large rises in intracellular Ca<sup>2+<sup> that were present in the absence of extracellular Ca<sup>2+<sup> and were inhibited by intracellular store depletion agents. ANG II and 5-HT acted on their respective G-protein coupled receptors, AT<sub>1<sub> receptor and 5-HT<sub>2A<sub> receptor, to initiate these Ca<sup>2+<sup> responses presumably via a PLC-IP<sub>3<sub> mediated mechanism. Interestingly, these Ca<sup>2+<sup> responses were required to activate pannexin-1 channels (Panx-1), a channel that has been previously shown to be a conduit for ATP in type II cells (Zhang et al. 2012). We were also interested in determining whether type II cells were capable of indirectly responding to a chemostimulus such that the stimulus would elicit neurosecretion from type I cells and result in a secondary Ca<sup>2+<sup> responses in type II cells. Isohydric hypercapnia and a depolarizing stimulus (30 mM KCl saline) were capable of eliciting indirect Ca<sup>2+<sup> responses in type II cells. These secondary Ca<sup>2+<sup> responses in type II cells were partially inhibited by suramin, a purinergic P2Y2 receptor antagonist, suggesting that ATP was the predominant neurotransmitter responsible for type I to type II crosstalk. Similarly, a selective agonist for type II cells, UTP, evoked indirect Ca<sup>2+<sup> responses in nearby type I cells. Type II to type I cell communication was dependent on Panx-1 channels since the secondary Ca<sup>2+<sup> responses in type I cells were inhibited by the Panx-1 blocker, carbenoxolone (5 µM). UTP-evoked indirect Ca<sup>2+<sup> in type I cells were partially inhibited by adenosine A<sub>2<sub> receptor antagonists suggesting that the neuromodulator, adenosine, governs cross-talk between type II and type I cells. This study elucidates the importance of purinergic signalling in the bi-directional cross-talk between receptor type I cells and glial-like type II cells. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

No description available.

Stem cells, with the ability to self-renew and differentiate into intended cell types, are a valuable tool for disease modeling and mechanistic study. CRISPR-Cas9 has been widely used for genome editing due to its high efficiency and convenience. However, CRISPR-Cas9 has large-deletion safety issues that dramatically restrict its applications. Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) is an inborn immunological disorder caused by WASP deficiency. WASP functions in the nucleus, which may help to understand WAS pathology, are poorly defined. Pannexin 1 (PANX1) forms large plasma membrane pores to exchange intracellular small molecules with the extracellular environment and functions in inflammatory processes. The regulatory mechanisms of the PANX1 channel remain obscure. In this dissertation, I focused on mechanistic studies of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, and two immune disease relevant genes, WASP and PANX1 using stem cell-derived immune cells. We first found that CRISPR-induced large deletions (LDs) are predominantly mediated by the MMEJ repair pathway through statistical studies. Further, we found POLQ and RPA play vital roles in CRISPR-induced LDs. Modulation of POLQ and RPA can decrease CRISPR-induced LDs and increase HDR efficiency. Using three isogenic WAS iPSC models generated via gene editing, we successfully recapitulated WAS phenotypes, and for the first time, revealed that WASP regulates RNA splicing via epigenetically controlling the transcription of splicing factors and directly participating in the splicing machinery through a liquid-liquid phase separation process. We established a full-length human PANX1 (hPANX1) channel model via cryo-electron microscopy experiments and molecular dynamics simulation study, and found that hPANX1 channel is a homo-heptamer with both the N- and C-termini stretching deeply into the pore funnel. Functional studies of three selected residues support the new hPANX1 channel model and suggest the potential regulatory role of hPANX1 in pyroptosis upon immune responses. Overall, the mechanistic studies of WASP, PANX1 and CRISPR genome editing revealed new roles of WASP in regulating RNA splicing, new functional insights of PANX1 in pyroptosis, and uncovered two critical players POLQ and RPA in CRISPR-induced LDs.

Pendant très longtemps, les traitements contre les cancers se sont basés sur la cytotoxicité des chimiothérapies, sur leur capacité à tuer directement les cellules malignes ou à induire leur senescence. Mais cette cytotoxicité accrue et non ciblée a également pour effet de tuer les cellules du système immunitaire du patient. Cependant, il a été montré que la radiothérapie, les anthracyclines ainsi que l’oxaliplatine étaient capables d’induire une apoptose décrite comme étant une mort cellulaire immunogène. De ce fait, les cellules tumorales mourantes agiront comme vaccin thérapeutique.La mort cellulaire immunogène se caractérise par trois grands marqueurs : un stress du réticulum endoplasmique pré-mortem qui va induire la translocation de la calréticuline de la lumière du réticulum endoplasmique vers la surface cellulaire, la libération d’ATP dans le milieu extracellulaire permettant le recrutement des cellules dendritiques et l’activation de l’inflammasome NLRP3 via le récepteur P2RX7, et enfin la libération de la protéine HMGB1 dans le milieu extracellulaire, qui va aller interagir avec TLR4 à la surface des cellules dendritiques pour stimuler leur fonction présentatrice d’antigène. La première partie de ce travail a consisté à comprendre les mécanismes moléculaires précis par lesquels l’ATP est sécrétée activement lors d’une mort cellulaire immunogène. En utilisant une combinaison de techniques impliquant des criblages pharmacologiques, des techniques de monitorage de la localisation intracellulaire de l’ATP entre autres, nous avons montré qu’après un traitement par les inducteurs de la mort immunogène, l’ATP était redistribué des lysosomes aux autolysosomes et que sa sécrétion requiert la protéine lysosomale LAMP1. Nous avons également montré qu’il existait d’autres voies de libération d’ATP telles que la voie de signalisation Rho, et également l’ouverture des hémicanaux pannexine 1 (PANX1). De façon surprenante, nous avons observé une implication de PANX1 dans la translocation de LAMP1 à la surface cellulaire. Ces résultats ont permis de comprendre un peu plus précisément les mécanismes de sécrétion d’ATP dans la mort cellulaire immunogène, mettant en évidence l’importance de l’exocytose lysosomale caspases dépendante et PANX1 dépendante.La seconde partie de ce travail s’est portée sur l’étude d’une autre caractéristique de la mort cellulaire immunogène, à savoir l’exposition de la calréticuline à la surface cellulaire. En partant du constat qu’après un traitement par la mitoxantrone, la calréticuline était relocalisée en périphérie à la fois dans les cellules humaines et les cellules de levure, il a été suggéré que la voie d’exposition de la calréticuline était conservée phylogénétiquement. Nous avons montré que les phéromones pouvaient agir comme inducteurs physiologiques de l’exposition de la calréticuline dans les cellules de levure. Un criblage d’ARN interférant et des analyses de transcriptome nous ont permis de montré que les chimiokines, en particulier CXCL8 chez l’humain (appelé également interleukine-8) et son orthologue Cxcl2 chez la souris étaient impliquées dans la translocation de la calréticuline à la surface cellulaire. En traitant les cellules cancéreuses par la mitoxantrone, nous observons une production de CXCL8 par les cellules cancéreuses humaines in vitro et de Cxcl2 par les cellules cancéreuses murines in vivo. Un « knockdown » des récepteurs pour CXCL8/Cxcl2 réduit de manière significative l’exposition de la calréticuline à la surface cellulaire. Ces résultats ont donc montré l’importance des chimiokines dans la voie d’exposition de la calréticuline.L’ensemble de ce travail a permis de comprendre plus en détails deux des trois grandes caractéristiques de la mort cellulaire immunogène. / Cytotoxic anti-neoplastic agents were considered for a long time to mediate their therapeutic effects via their capacity to directly kill malignant cells. Nevertheless, this high cytotoxicity is non-targeted and will eventually diminish immune cells. During the last years, it has been shown that radiotherapy and some anticancer agents, such as anthracyclines and oxaliplatin, can stimulate actively anti-tumor immune responses. In fact, they can induce an immunogenic type of apoptosis, which we termed immunogenic cell death (ICD). Thereby, dying cells can act as therapeutic vaccine against residual cancer cells that overcame the initial treatment.ICD is characterized by three major hallmarks: a pre-mortem stress of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which triggers the translocation of the ER chaperone protein called calreticulin (CRT) to the cell surface, the secretion of ATP from apoptotic cells, which acts as a signal for the recruitment of dendritic cells and for the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome via its receptor P2RX7, and the release of HMGB1 into the extracellular space, allowing it to interact with TLR4 and thus stimulate the antigen-presenting functions of the DCs.The first part of my work focused on the precise molecular mechanisms by which ATP is actively secreted during ICD. Using a large panel of techniques, including chemical compounds screens and monitoring the subcellular localization of ATP, we showed that following treatment of various tumor cells with ICD inducers, ATP is redistributed from lysosomes to autolysosomes and the lysosomal protein LAMP1 is required for active ATP secretion. We also showed that Rho and pannexin 1 (PANX1) are indispensable for efficient ATP release in response to ICD inducers. Surprisingly, we observed an unexpected link between PANX1 and the exposure of LAMP1 at the cell surface. These results will help to understand the mechanisms necessary for ATP secretion during ICD.In the second part of this work we further studied the surface exposure of CRT during ICD. We observed that mitoxantrone (MTX), which belongs to the group of anthracyclines, can induce a peripheral relocalisation of CRT, both in human cells and yeast cells. In addition, we showed that pheromones can act as a physiological inducer of CRT translocation in yeast. Focused siRNA screening combined with transcriptome analyses revealed that human CXCL8 (also called interleukin-8) and its mouse ortholog Cxcl2 play an essential role in the translocation of CRT to the cell surface. Interestingly, MTX-treated human cancer cells displayed an elevated production of CXCL8 in vitro. These results were confirmed in vivo, with MTX treated murine tumors, which also displayed elevated Cxcl2 levels. The MTX-induced CRT exposure was significantly reduced when we performed a knockdown of CXCL8/Cxcl2 receptors. Altogether, these results showed the importance of chemokine signaling circuitries in immunogenic CRT exposure.This work allows for the detailed understanding of the mechanisms of ICD and might thus be useful for further targeted drug development.

La production hétérologue des protéines membranaires reste difficile, peut-être parce que l’insertion dans la membrane de la cellule hôte constitue une étape limitante de la production. Afin de tourner cette difficulté, deux modes de synthèse ont été envisagés: la synthèse de protéines dans un système a-cellulaire, en l’absence de membrane mais en présence de détergent, ou l’adressage forcé de la protéine vers les corps d’inclusion dans le cas d’une expression plus classique en bactérie entière. La réalisation des deux stratégies repose sur l’utilisation de protéines de fusion possédant une séquence d’entraînement en amont du gène d’intérêt, soit qu’elles améliorent la traduction du transcrit en limitant le repliement spatial de ce dernier, soit qu’elles favorisent la production de la protéine d’intérêt en corps d’inclusion. La porine OmpX et le peptide T7 ont été choisis en cas d’expression dans les systèmes bactériens. La protéine SUMO est utilisée pour la production dans un lysat eucaryote. Les différentes approches ont été testées sur la production de la pannexine1 humaine (Px1).Si les séquences d’entraînement OmpX et le peptide T7 sont correctement produites in vitro, aucune des deux, en revanche, ne favorise la production de la Px1. Seul l’entraîneur SUMO est efficace. En effet, nous avons observé que cette protéine augmente la production de la Px1 dans un lysat eucaryote de germe de blé. Par ailleurs OmpX, connue pour être largement produite in vivo dans les corps d’inclusion, n’entraîne pas la localisation de la Px1 dans ces structures. Contre toute attente, l’étiquette T7 dirige la Px1 dans les corps d’inclusion. L’étude électrophysiologique de la Px1 a donc été effectuée à partir de la protéine produite in vivo (T7his-Px1) après renaturation, ou produite sous forme soluble in vitro (his6-Px1) dans le lysat eucaryote. Dans le cas de la protéine T7his-Px1 renaturée, une activité canal qui rappelle celle qui est observée après expression dans l’ovocyte de Xénope, a été détectée en patch-clamp, mais dans trois cas seulement. Dans le cas de la protéine his6-Px1, aucune activité canal n’est clairement détectée. Dans une deuxième partie de ce travail on examine le rôle de la boucle périplasmique dans la sensibilité à la pression du MscL, un canal mécanosensible bactérien devenu un système modèle dans l’étude de la mécanosensibilité. Presque toutes les études fonctionnelles sur ce canal ont été réalisées sur le canal de E.coli, alors que la structure a été obtenue à partir de l’homologue de M. tuberculosis. Une étude fonctionnelle a montré que le MscL de M. tuberculosis est difficile à ouvrir : son ouverture requiert l’application d’une pression double de celle qui est nécessaire chez E.coli. Les deux homologues diffèrent principalement par la longueur de leur unique boucle périplasmique. De manière à examiner le rôle de la boucle, on a comparé l’activité du canal MscL de E.coli, celle du canal de M. tuberculosis et celle d’une protéine chimère constituée de la protéine de M. tuberculosis dans laquelle la boucle a été changée pour celle de la protéine de E.coli. De manière inattendue, nous avons constaté que les canaux de E.coli et de M. tuberculosis ont la même sensibilité à la pression. La protéine chimère n’avait pas d’activité canal. Si ce travail ne permet pas de conclure quant au rôle de la boucle, il montre sans ambigüité que contrairement à ce qui a été rapporté les canaux MscL de E.coli et de M. tuberculosis ne diffèrent pas sensiblement sur le plan fonctionnel / The production of heterologous membrane protein is notoriously difficult; this might be due to the fact that insertion of the protein in the membrane host is a limiting step. To by-pass this difficulty, two modes of synthesis were tested: 1) production in a cell-free system devoid of biological membrane but supplemented with detergent or liposomes, 2) production in bacteria, with targeting of the membrane protein to inclusion bodies. Both strategies were tested for the production of the human pannexin 1 channel (Px1). The gene coding the protein was fused with an “enhancer” sequence resulting in the addition of a peptide or short protein at the N terminus of the protein of interest. This enhancer sequence which is well produced in vitro or in vivo is supposed to facilitate the translation of the protein of interest. Three enhancer sequences were chosen: 1) the small porin OmpX of E. coli, which, in addition, should target the protein to inclusion bodies when the protein is expressed in bacteria 2) a peptide of phage T7 for expression in E.coli lysate or E.coli cells 3) the small protein SUMO for production in a wheat germ cell-free system. In a bacterial cell-free system, neither OmpX nor T7 promoted Px1 production. Px1 is only produced when the SUMO enhancer sequence is used in the wheat germ system. In bacteria, OmpX, known to form inclusions bodies did not promote the targeting of the fusion protein to inclusion bodies. Unexpectedly, the peptide T7 was able to do it.Px1 obtained from inclusion bodies (T7his-Px1) was renatured and reconstituted in liposomes. Similarly his6-Px1 produced in wheat germ system was reconstituted in liposomes. Both preparations were used for electrophysiological studies (patch-clamp and planar bilayers). With the refolded T7his-Px1, channel activity reminiscent of that observed with Px1 expressed in Xenope oocyte (Bao et al., 2004) could be detected, but only in three cases. In the case of his6-Px1, no clear channel activity could be observed. The second part of this work deals with the involvement of the periplasmic loop of the bacterial mechanosensitive channel MscL in its sensitivity to pressure. Mscl has become a model system for the investigation of mechanosensisity. Nearly all functional studies have been performed on MscL from E.coli while the structure of the protein has been obtained from the Mycobacterium tuberculosis homologue. In one functional study it was shown that MscL from M. tuberculosis is extremely difficult to open, gating at twice the pressure needed for E.coli MscL The periplasmic loop is the most variable sequence between the two homologues, being longer in E.coli than in M. tuberculosis. In order to assess the role of the periplamic loop in the sensitivity to pressure, we compared the activity of the E.coli and M. tuberculosis MscL and of a chimeric protein made of the M. tuberculosis protein in which the periplasmic loop has been exchanged for that of the E. coli channel. Unexpectedly, M. tuberculosis and E .coli MscL were observed to gate at a similar applied pressure. The chimeric protein had no functional activity. In conclusion, this study does not allow any conclusion as to the role of the loop in the sensitivity to pressure, but it shows clearly that, in contrast to the results of a previous study, there is no functional difference between E. coli and M. tuberculosis MscL.

Le cervelet est un petit cerveau dans le cerveau. Il contient plus de la moitié du nombre total de neurones du cerveau. Sa structure très régulière est bien connue, toutefois son rôle demeure mystérieux. Le développement essentiellement postnatal du cervelet chez les rongeurs permet d’y étudier la formation activité-dépendante du réseau de neurones. C’est aussi le siège où s’opèrent diverses formes de plasticité synaptique, ce qui en fait un modèle d’étude idéal pour la plasticité synaptique développementale et adulte. Au cours de cette thèse, à l’aide d’enregistrements électophysiologiques en patch-clamp et en extracellulaire sur des tranches aigües de cervelet de souris et grâce aux techniques immunohistochimiques, j’ai étudié trois acteurs importants de la plasticité synaptique et du développement des cellules de Purkinje, les neurones centraux du cortex cérébelleux. Nous avons démontré que l’activation du récepteur métabotropique glutamatergique de type 1 (mGlu1) déclenche l’activation et l’ouverture de GluD2, un récepteur nécessaire au développement et à la plasticité des synapse des cellules de Purkinje (CPs). Nous avons également mis en évidence que les Pannexines 1, des canaux potentiellement impliqué dans la synchronisation neuronale récemment découverts et encore mal caractérisés, sont exprimées par les cellules de Purkinje Zebrine II –immunopositives, suivant les bandes parasagittales que délimitent les microdomaines du cervelet. Enfin, nous avons étudié la physiologie du cortex cérébelleux des souris néonatales, cherchant à caractériser les différents acteurs essentiels à l’activité neuronale de ce cortex en développement très particulier et peu étudié. L’activation du récepteur GluD2 médiée par mGlu1 dans la synapse entre Fibre Parallèle et cellule de Purkinje (synapse PF-PC). GluD2 est classifié parmi les récepteurs ionotropiques glutamatergique, pourtant aucun ligand n’est capable d’induire l’ouverture de son canal. Nous avons identifié pour la première fois un mécanisme physiologique d’ouverture du canal de GluD2 en démontrant que l’activation de mGlu1 déclenche l’ouverture du canal de GluD2 pour une voie intracellulaire, aussi bien dans un système d’expression en culture que dans les tranches aigues de cervelet murin. Cela nous permettra d’étudier la contribution du courant médié à travers GluD2 dans la plasticité à long terme, avec des perspectives totalement nouvelles. L’expression de Pannexine 1 par les CPs se superpose aux stries Zebrine II- immunopositives du cervelet. Les CPs adultes constituent une population hétérogènes, les différents sous-types étant organisés sur le plan parasagittal. Nous avons montré que l’expression des protéines Pannexine 1 (Panx1) We have shown that Pannexin1 (Panx1) déssine un gradient rostrocaudal discontinu dans les lobules de tranches parasagittales. Sur les coupes coronales, leur distribution forme une série de bandes parasagittales. Les canaux Panx1 médient la libération d’ATP en réponse à divers stimuli et pourrais de cette façon contribuer à une activité neuronale orientée sur le plan parasagittal en réponse aux signaux des fibres parallèles. Caractérisation de l’activité GABAergique des CPs immatures dans les souris néonatales. Le cortex cérébelleux entre les jours postnataux P0 et P4 consistent principalement en une multicouche dense de CPs fortement interconnectées. A cet âge, les CPs sont remplies de GABA extrasynapstique qui est libéré dans le milieu extracellulaire par un mécanisme qui n’est pas clairement identifié. Nos recherches préliminaires sur la première semaine de développment postnatal, nous montrons que l’activation de récepteur au GABA de type A induit une réponse excitatrice chez les CPs. Avec notre préparation, cet effet est indépendant de la présence de corps cétoniques ou de lactate comme substrats énergétiques dans le milieu extracellulaire. (...) / The cerebellum is a little brain in the brain. It houses more than half the total number of neurons in the brain. Its crystalline structure is very well known but, still, its function remain unclear to date. Its mainly postnatal development in rodents allows the study of the physiology of activity-dependent neuronal wiring. It is also the place of many types of neuronal plasticity, making it an ideal model to study both developmental and adult synaptic plasticity. In this thesis, using mainly patch-clamp and extracellular recordings in cerebellar slices as well as immunohistochemistry in mice, I have studied three important actors of synaptic plasticity and development in the Purkinje cells, the principal neurons of the cerebellar cortex. We have established that the type 1metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGlu1) triggers the gating of GluD2, a receptor necessary for Purkinje cells (PCs) synapses development and synaptic plasticity. We have also shown that the Pannexins 1, some channels likely involved in neuronal synchronization that have been recently discovered but yet remain poorly characterized, are expressed by Zebrin II immmunopositive Purkinje cells in the classical Zebra stripes formed by microdomains of the cerebellum. Last, we have studied the physiology of the primitive cerebellar cortex in neonatal mice, establishing the first elements of the neuronal activity of this very particular developing cortex at a stage still very poorly characterized. The mGlu1-mediated gating of Glu2D receptors at Parallel Fiber to PC (PF-PC) synapse. GluD2 are classified among ionotropic glutamate receptors, but no ligand has proved capable of gating their channel. We have identified for the first time a physiological mechanism of gating GluD2 channels by demonstrating that the activation of mGlu1 triggers the opening of GluD2 channels through intracellular pathways, both in expression systems and in acute murine cerebellar slices. This will allow us to study the contribution of GluD2-mediated current in long-term plasticity in a totally new way. Expression of Pannexin1 by PCs matches with adult Zebrin II immunopositive cerebellar stripes. Adult PCs constitute an heterogeneous population, the different subtypes being parasagittaly organized. We have shown that Pannexin1 (Panx1) proteins expression by PCs, draw a rostrocaudal discontinuous gradient in lobules of parasagittal slices. In transverse slices, their distribution forms an array of parasagittal stripes. Panx1 channels mediate ATP release in response to various stimuli and may in this way contribute to parasagittally oriented response to PF inputs. Characterization of GABAergic activity of immature Purkinje cells of newborn mice. The cerebellar cortex during postnatal days P0 to P4 essentially consists in a dense multilayer and highly interconnected network of PCs. At this age, PCs are filled with extrasynaptic GABA which is released in the extracellular space by a mechanism that is not clear. In our preliminary investigation of first week postnatal development, we show that activation of GABA-A receptors leads to excitatory responses in PCs. In our preparation, this effect is independent of the presence of keton bodies or lactate as energetic substrates in the extracellular medium. The complete inhibition of spontaneous discharge of PCs by Panx1 channel blockers, suggests that they mediate ion fluxes or release of neuromediators, such as ATP or GABA.