Border Cells is an important component in the neurobiology of neurodegenerative diseases. This page provides detailed information about its structure, function, and role in disease processes.
Border cells (also known as boundary cells or wall cells) are neurons that fire when an animal approaches the boundaries of an environment. These cells provide the brain with information about environmental geometry, forming a critical component of the spatial navigation system.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Category | Spatial Navigation Cells |
| Location | Medial entorhinal cortex, dorsal hippocampus, subiculum, parasubiculum |
| Cell Types | Pyramidal neurons, stellate cells |
| Primary Neurotransmitter | Glutamate |
| Key Markers | Reelin, calbindin, Zif268 |
Border cells were discovered in 2008 by Lever and colleagues in the rat hippocampus, and subsequently characterized in the medial entorhinal cortex. They represent a fundamental class of spatial neurons that encode environmental boundaries.
Border cells are found in:
Inputs:
Outputs:
Border cell firing involves:
Border cells provide:
Border cells are affected in AD:
Clinical manifestations:
The study of Border Cells has evolved significantly over the past decades. Research in this area has revealed important insights into the underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration and continues to drive therapeutic development.
Historical context and key discoveries in this field have shaped our current understanding and will continue to guide future research directions.
[1] Lever C, et al. Boundary vector cells in the subiculum. Nature. 2009;459(7246):123-134.
[2] Solstad T, et al. Boundary cells in the entorhinal cortex. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2008;9(12):708-721.
[3] Save E, et al. Hippocampal boundary cells. Hippocampus. 2000;10(4):456-463.
[4] Hartley T, et al. The boundary cells. Trends Neurosci. 2009;32(10):530-537.
[5] Bjerknes TL, et al. Grid cells and boundary cells. Neuroscience. 2014;90:353-373.
[6] Diehl GW, et al. Boundary cells in navigation. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2017;54:140-149.
[7] Krupic J, et al. Grid cells and boundaries. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2018;19(8):488-501.
[8] Savelli F, et al. Influence of boundaries on hippocampal place cells. Neuroscience. 2008;155(3):859-871.
[9] Muessig L, et al. Boundary-vector coding. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2019;20(11):635-645.
[10] Knierim JJ, et al. Boundary information in spatial memory. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2014;15(8):523-534.