1
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Yagishita H, Sasaki T. Integrating physiological and transcriptomic analyses at the single-neuron level. Neurosci Res 2024:S0168-0102(24)00065-8. [PMID: 38821412 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2024.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Neurons generate various spike patterns to execute different functions. Understanding how these physiological neuronal spike patterns are related to their molecular characteristics is a long-standing issue in neuroscience. Herein, we review the results of recent studies that have addressed this issue by integrating physiological and transcriptomic techniques. A sequence of experiments, including in vivo recording and/or labeling, brain tissue slicing, cell collection, and transcriptomic analysis, have identified the gene expression profiles of brain neurons at the single-cell level, with activity patterns recorded in living animals. Although these techniques are still in the early stages, this methodological idea is principally applicable to various brain regions and neuronal activity patterns. Accumulating evidence will contribute to a deeper understanding of neuronal characteristics by integrating insights from molecules to cells, circuits, and behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haruya Yagishita
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, 6-3 Aramaki-Aoba, Aoba-Ku, Sendai 980-8578, Japan
| | - Takuya Sasaki
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, 6-3 Aramaki-Aoba, Aoba-Ku, Sendai 980-8578, Japan; Department of Neuropharmacology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, 4-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-Ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.
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2
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Yagishita H, Go Y, Okamoto K, Arimura N, Ikegaya Y, Sasaki T. A method to analyze gene expression profiles from hippocampal neurons electrophysiologically recorded in vivo. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1360432. [PMID: 38694898 PMCID: PMC11061373 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1360432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Hippocampal pyramidal neurons exhibit diverse spike patterns and gene expression profiles. However, their relationships with single neurons are not fully understood. In this study, we designed an electrophysiology-based experimental procedure to identify gene expression profiles using RNA sequencing of single hippocampal pyramidal neurons whose spike patterns were recorded in living mice. This technique involves a sequence of experiments consisting of in vivo juxtacellular recording and labeling, brain slicing, cell collection, and transcriptome analysis. We demonstrated that the expression levels of a subset of genes in individual hippocampal pyramidal neurons were significantly correlated with their spike burstiness, submillisecond-level spike rise times or spike rates, directly measured by in vivo electrophysiological recordings. Because this methodological approach can be applied across a wide range of brain regions, it is expected to contribute to studies on various neuronal heterogeneities to understand how physiological spike patterns are associated with gene expression profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haruya Yagishita
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
- Laboratory of Chemical Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Go
- Graduate School of Information Science, University of Hyogo, Hyogo, Japan
- Department of System Neuroscience, Division of Behavioral Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
- Cognitive Genomics Research Group, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | - Kazuki Okamoto
- Laboratory of Chemical Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nariko Arimura
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Yuji Ikegaya
- Laboratory of Chemical Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Center for Information and Neural Networks, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Osaka, Japan
- Institute for AI and Beyond, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takuya Sasaki
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
- Laboratory of Chemical Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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3
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Single-Cell Labeling Strategies to Dissect Neuronal Structures and Local Functions. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12020321. [PMID: 36829594 PMCID: PMC9953318 DOI: 10.3390/biology12020321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
The brain network consists of ten billion neurons and is the most complex structure in the universe. Understanding the structure of complex brain networks and neuronal functions is one of the main goals of modern neuroscience. Since the seminal invention of Golgi staining, single-cell labeling methods have been among the most potent approaches for dissecting neuronal structures and neural circuits. Furthermore, the development of sparse single-cell transgenic methods has enabled single-cell gene knockout studies to examine the local functions of various genes in neural circuits and synapses. Here, we review non-transgenic single-cell labeling methods and recent advances in transgenic strategies for sparse single neuronal labeling. These methods and strategies will fundamentally contribute to the understanding of brain structure and function.
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4
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Song B, Kang CY, Han JH, Kano M, Konnerth A, Bae S. In vivo genome editing in single mammalian brain neurons through CRISPR-Cas9 and cytosine base editors. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:2477-2485. [PMID: 34025938 PMCID: PMC8113754 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.04.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene manipulation is a useful approach for understanding functions of genes and is important for investigating basic mechanisms of brain function on the level of single neurons and circuits. Despite the development and the wide range of applications of CRISPR-Cas9 and base editors (BEs), their implementation for an analysis of individual neurons in vivo remained limited. In fact, conventional gene manipulations are generally achieved only on the population level. Here, we combined either CRISPR-Cas9 or BEs with the targeted single-cell electroporation technique as a proof-of-concept test for gene manipulation in single neurons in vivo. Our assay consisted of CRISPR-Cas9- or BEs-induced gene knockout in single Purkinje cells in the cerebellum. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of both gene editing and base editing in single cells in the intact brain, providing a tool through which molecular perturbations of individual neurons can be used for analysis of circuits and, ultimately, behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beomjong Song
- International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Chan Young Kang
- Department of Chemistry and Research Institute for Convergence of Basic Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, South Korea
| | - Jun Hee Han
- Department of Chemistry and Research Institute for Convergence of Basic Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, South Korea
| | - Masanobu Kano
- International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.,Department of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Arthur Konnerth
- International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.,Institute of Neuroscience, Technical University of Munich, 80802 Munich, Germany.,Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology, Technical University of Munich, 80802 Munich, Germany
| | - Sangsu Bae
- Department of Chemistry and Research Institute for Convergence of Basic Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, South Korea
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5
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Sugiyama S, Sugi J, Iijima T, Hou X. Single-Cell Visualization Deep in Brain Structures by Gene Transfer. Front Neural Circuits 2020; 14:586043. [PMID: 33328900 PMCID: PMC7710941 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2020.586043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A projection neuron targets multiple regions beyond the functional brain area. In order to map neuronal connectivity in a massive neural network, a means for visualizing the entire morphology of a single neuron is needed. Progress has facilitated single-neuron analysis in the cerebral cortex, but individual neurons in deep brain structures remain difficult to visualize. To this end, we developed an in vivo single-cell electroporation method for juvenile and adult brains that can be performed under a standard stereomicroscope. This technique involves rapid gene transfection and allows the visualization of dendritic and axonal morphologies of individual neurons located deep in brain structures. The transfection efficiency was enhanced by directly injecting the expression vector encoding green fluorescent protein instead of monitoring cell attachment to the electrode tip. We obtained similar transfection efficiencies in both young adult (≥P40) and juvenile mice (P21–30). By tracing the axons of thalamocortical neurons, we identified a specific subtype of neuron distinguished by its projection pattern. Additionally, transfected mOrange-tagged vesicle-associated membrane protein 2–a presynaptic protein—was strongly localized in terminal boutons of thalamocortical neurons. Thus, our in vivo single-cell gene transfer system offers rapid single-neuron analysis deep in brain. Our approach combines observation of neuronal morphology with functional analysis of genes of interest, which can be useful for monitoring changes in neuronal activity corresponding to specific behaviors in living animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayaka Sugiyama
- Laboratory of Neuronal Development, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Junko Sugi
- Laboratory of Neuronal Development, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Tomoya Iijima
- Laboratory of Neuronal Development, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Xubin Hou
- Laboratory of Neuronal Development, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
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6
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Cid E, de la Prida LM. Methods for single-cell recording and labeling in vivo. J Neurosci Methods 2019; 325:108354. [PMID: 31302156 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2019.108354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2019] [Revised: 07/07/2019] [Accepted: 07/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Targeting individual neurons in vivo is a key method to study the role of single cell types within local and brain-wide microcircuits. While novel technological developments now permit assessing activity from large number of cells simultaneously, there is currently no better solution than glass micropipettes to relate the physiology and morphology of single-cells. Sharp intracellular, juxtacellular, loose-patch and whole-cell approaches are some of the configurations used to record and label individual neurons. Here, we review procedures to establish successful electrophysiological recordings in vivo followed by appropriate labeling for post hoc morphological analysis. We provide operational recommendations for optimizing each configuration and a generic framework for functional, neurochemical and morphological identification of the different cell-types in a given region. Finally, we highlight emerging approaches that are challenging our current paradigms for single-cell recording and labeling in the living brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Cid
- Instituto Cajal, CSIC, Ave Doctor Arce 37, Madrid, 28002, Spain
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7
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Kuramoto E. Method for labeling and reconstruction of single neurons using Sindbis virus vectors. J Chem Neuroanat 2019; 100:101648. [PMID: 31181303 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2019.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2018] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Neuronal dendrites and axons are key substrates for the input and output of information, respectively, so establishing the precise and complete morphological description of dendritic and axonal processes of a single neuron is essential for understanding the neuron's functional role in the neuronal circuits. The whole structure of single neurons was originally revealed using Golgi staining, and later the intracellular labeling method was developed, although this is technically too difficult to stain entire neurons in vivo. Since the late 1980s, molecular biology techniques have been applied to neuroscience research, leading to the development of various virus vectors, such as the Sindbis and adeno-associated virus vectors, which have facilitated the reconstruction of neurons at a single cell level. In the present review, we focus on a method for labeling and reconstruction of single neurons using Sindbis virus vectors that express membrane-targeted fluorescent proteins. We describe in detail a protocol for single-neuron labeling using Sindbis virus vectors, and we provide an example of a recent project at our laboratory in which we successfully applied these methods to study thalamocortical projection neurons. Further, we discuss the strengths and limitations of Sindbis virus vectors for single neuron reconstruction, comparing them with adeno-associated virus vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eriko Kuramoto
- Department of Oral Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-8544, Japan.
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8
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Saiki A, Sakai Y, Fukabori R, Soma S, Yoshida J, Kawabata M, Yawo H, Kobayashi K, Kimura M, Isomura Y. In Vivo Spiking Dynamics of Intra- and Extratelencephalic Projection Neurons in Rat Motor Cortex. Cereb Cortex 2019; 28:1024-1038. [PMID: 28137723 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhx012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 01/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In motor cortex, 2 types of deep layer pyramidal cells send their axons to other areas: intratelencephalic (IT)-type neurons specifically project bilaterally to the cerebral cortex and striatum, whereas neurons of the extratelencephalic (ET)-type, termed conventionally pyramidal tract-type, project ipsilaterally to the thalamus and other areas. Although they have totally different synaptic and membrane potential properties in vitro, little is known about the differences between them in ongoing spiking dynamics in vivo. We identified IT-type and ET-type neurons, as well as fast-spiking-type interneurons, using novel multineuronal analysis based on optogenetically evoked spike collision along their axons in behaving/resting rats expressing channelrhodopsin-2 (Multi-Linc method). We found "postspike suppression" (~100 ms) as a characteristic of ET-type neurons in spike auto-correlograms, and it remained constant independent of behavioral conditions in functionally different ET-type neurons. Postspike suppression followed even solitary spikes, and spike bursts significantly extended its duration. We also observed relatively strong spike synchrony in pairs containing IT-type neurons. Thus, spiking dynamics in IT-type and ET-type neurons may be optimized differently for precise and coordinated motor control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akiko Saiki
- Brain Science Institute, Tamagawa University, Tokyo 194-8610, Japan.,JST CREST, Tokyo 102-0076, Japan.,Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan
| | - Yutaka Sakai
- Brain Science Institute, Tamagawa University, Tokyo 194-8610, Japan.,JST CREST, Tokyo 102-0076, Japan.,Graduate School of Brain Sciences, Tamagawa University, Tokyo 194-8610, Japan
| | - Ryoji Fukabori
- JST CREST, Tokyo 102-0076, Japan.,Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Shogo Soma
- Brain Science Institute, Tamagawa University, Tokyo 194-8610, Japan.,Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo 102-0083, Japan
| | - Junichi Yoshida
- Graduate School of Brain Sciences, Tamagawa University, Tokyo 194-8610, Japan.,Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo 102-0083, Japan
| | - Masanori Kawabata
- Graduate School of Brain Sciences, Tamagawa University, Tokyo 194-8610, Japan
| | - Hiromu Yawo
- Department of Developmental Biology and Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Life Sciences, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Kazuto Kobayashi
- JST CREST, Tokyo 102-0076, Japan.,Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Minoru Kimura
- Brain Science Institute, Tamagawa University, Tokyo 194-8610, Japan.,Graduate School of Brain Sciences, Tamagawa University, Tokyo 194-8610, Japan
| | - Yoshikazu Isomura
- Brain Science Institute, Tamagawa University, Tokyo 194-8610, Japan.,JST CREST, Tokyo 102-0076, Japan.,Graduate School of Brain Sciences, Tamagawa University, Tokyo 194-8610, Japan
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9
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Projection Patterns of Corticofugal Neurons Associated with Vibrissa Movement. eNeuro 2018; 5:eN-NWR-0190-18. [PMID: 30406196 PMCID: PMC6220590 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0190-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Revised: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 08/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Rodents actively whisk their vibrissae, which, when they come in contact with surrounding objects, enables rodents to gather spatial information about the environment. Cortical motor command of whisking is crucial for the control of vibrissa movement. Using awake and head-fixed rats, we investigated the correlations between axonal projection patterns and firing properties in identified layer 5 neurons in the motor cortex, which are associated with vibrissa movement. We found that cortical neurons that sent axons to the brainstem fired preferentially during large-amplitude vibrissa movements and that corticocallosal neurons exhibited a high firing rate during small vibrissa movements or during a quiet state. The differences between these two corticofugal circuits may be related to the mechanisms of motor-associated information processing.
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10
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A robot for high yield electrophysiology and morphology of single neurons in vivo. Nat Commun 2017; 8:15604. [PMID: 28569837 PMCID: PMC5461495 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2016] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Single-cell characterization and perturbation of neurons provides knowledge critical to addressing fundamental neuroscience questions including the structure–function relationship and neuronal cell-type classification. Here we report a robot for efficiently performing in vivo single-cell experiments in deep brain tissues optically difficult to access. This robot automates blind (non-visually guided) single-cell electroporation (SCE) and extracellular electrophysiology, and can be used to characterize neuronal morphological and physiological properties of, and/or manipulate genetic/chemical contents via delivering extraneous materials (for example, genes) into single neurons in vivo. Tested in the mouse brain, our robot successfully reveals the full morphology of single-infragranular neurons recorded in multiple neocortical regions, as well as deep brain structures such as hippocampal CA3, with high efficiency. Our robot thus can greatly facilitate the study of in vivo full morphology and electrophysiology of single neurons in the brain. Single-cell characterization and perturbation of neurons is critical for revealing the structure-function relationship of brain cells. Here the authors develop a robot that performs single-cell electroporation and extracellular electrophysiology and can be used for performing in vivo single-cell experiments in deep brain tissues optically difficult to access.
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11
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Glangetas C, Massi L, Fois GR, Jalabert M, Girard D, Diana M, Yonehara K, Roska B, Xu C, Lüthi A, Caille S, Georges F. NMDA-receptor-dependent plasticity in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis triggers long-term anxiolysis. Nat Commun 2017; 8:14456. [PMID: 28218243 PMCID: PMC5321732 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2016] [Accepted: 01/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Anxiety is controlled by multiple neuronal circuits that share robust and reciprocal connections with the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), a key structure controlling negative emotional states. However, it remains unknown how the BNST integrates diverse inputs to modulate anxiety. In this study, we evaluated the contribution of infralimbic cortex (ILCx) and ventral subiculum/CA1 (vSUB/CA1) inputs in regulating BNST activity at the single-cell level. Using trans-synaptic tracing from single-electroporated neurons and in vivo recordings, we show that vSUB/CA1 stimulation promotes opposite forms of in vivo plasticity at the single-cell level in the anteromedial part of the BNST (amBNST). We find that an NMDA-receptor-dependent homosynaptic long-term potentiation is instrumental for anxiolysis. These findings suggest that the vSUB/CA1-driven LTP in the amBNST is involved in eliciting an appropriate response to anxiogenic context and dysfunction of this compensatory mechanism may underlie pathologic anxiety states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christelle Glangetas
- Université de Bordeaux, Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, UMR 5297, F-33076 Bordeaux, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, UMR 5297, F-33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Léma Massi
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Giulia R Fois
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Neurodegeneratives Diseases Institute, UMR 5293, F-33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Marion Jalabert
- Université de la Méditerranée UMR S901, F-13009 Aix-Marseille 2, France.,INMED, F-13009 Marseille, France
| | - Delphine Girard
- Université de Bordeaux, Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, UMR 5297, F-33076 Bordeaux, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, UMR 5297, F-33076 Bordeaux, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Neurodegeneratives Diseases Institute, UMR 5293, F-33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Marco Diana
- 'G. Minardi' Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Keisuke Yonehara
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Botond Roska
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Chun Xu
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Lüthi
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stéphanie Caille
- Université de Bordeaux, Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégrative d'Aquitaine, BP31, F-33076 Bordeaux, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 5287-Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégrative d'Aquitaine, F-33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - François Georges
- Université de Bordeaux, Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, UMR 5297, F-33076 Bordeaux, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, UMR 5297, F-33076 Bordeaux, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Neurodegeneratives Diseases Institute, UMR 5293, F-33076 Bordeaux, France
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12
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Tateyama Y, Oyama K, Lo CWC, Iijima T, Tsutsui KI. Neck collar for restraining head and body movements in rats for behavioral task performance and simultaneous neural activity recording. J Neurosci Methods 2016; 263:68-74. [PMID: 26868734 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2016.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2015] [Revised: 01/29/2016] [Accepted: 02/01/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Head fixation has been one of the major methods in behavioral neurophysiology because it allows precision in stimulus application and behavioral assessment. Most neural recordings in awake monkeys have been obtained under head fixation, which is nowadays also being used in awake rodents. However, head fixation devices in rats often become unstable within several months, which increases risks for inflammation, infection, and necrosis of the bone and surrounding tissue. NEW METHOD In this study we developed a novel non-invasive "neck collar system" for restraining the head and body movements of behaving rats. RESULTS The attachment of the neck collar for 2-3 months did not affect the animals' health and welfare. Rats under neck-collar fixation could learn a behavioral task (standard delayed licking task) with the same efficiency as those under standard head fixation. They could also learn a more complicated task (delayed pro/anti-licking task) under neck-collar fixation and afterwards transfer their learning to the task under standard head fixation. Furthermore, we were able to record single-unit activity in rats under neck-collar fixation during the performance of the standard delayed licking task. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD(S) This system consists of economical materials and is easily constructed, and it enables head-restraint without surgery, thus eliminating the risk of inflammation or infection. CONCLUSIONS We consider the neck-collar fixation developed in this study would be useful for restraining the head of a behaving rodent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukina Tateyama
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, Tohoku University, Graduate School of Life Sciences, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba, Sendai 980-8577, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Kei Oyama
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, Tohoku University, Graduate School of Life Sciences, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba, Sendai 980-8577, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Cheuk Wa Christopher Lo
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, Tohoku University, Graduate School of Life Sciences, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba, Sendai 980-8577, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Toshio Iijima
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, Tohoku University, Graduate School of Life Sciences, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba, Sendai 980-8577, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichiro Tsutsui
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, Tohoku University, Graduate School of Life Sciences, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba, Sendai 980-8577, Miyagi, Japan.
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13
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Porrero C, Rodríguez-Moreno J, Quetglas JI, Smerdou C, Furuta T, Clascá F. A Simple and Efficient In Vivo Non-viral RNA Transfection Method for Labeling the Whole Axonal Tree of Individual Adult Long-Range Projection Neurons. Front Neuroanat 2016; 10:27. [PMID: 27047347 PMCID: PMC4796015 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2016.00027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We report a highly efficient, simple, and non-infective method for labeling individual long-range projection neurons (LRPNs) in a specific location with enough sparseness and intensity to allow complete and unambiguous reconstructions of their entire axonal tree. The method is based on the "in vivo" transfection of a large RNA construct that drives the massive expression of green fluorescent protein. The method combines two components: injection of a small volume of a hyperosmolar NaCl solution containing the Pal-eGFP-Sindbis RNA construct (Furuta et al., 2001), followed by the application of high-frequency electric current pulses through the micropipette tip. We show that, although each component alone increases transfection efficacy, compared to simple volume injections of standard RNA solution, the highest efficacy (85.7%) is achieved by the combination of both components. In contrast with the infective viral Sindbis vector, RNA transfection occurs exclusively at the position of the injection micropipette tip. This method simplifies consistently labeling one or a few isolated neurons per brain, a strategy that allows unambiguously resolving and quantifying the brain-wide and often multi-branched monosynaptic circuits created by LRPNs.
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Affiliation(s)
- César Porrero
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Autónoma University Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Rodríguez-Moreno
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Autónoma University Madrid, Spain
| | - José I Quetglas
- Laboratorio de Vectores, Centro de Investigación Médica AplicadaPamplona, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Navarra Institute for Health ResearchPamplona, Spain
| | - Cristian Smerdou
- Laboratorio de Vectores, Centro de Investigación Médica AplicadaPamplona, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Navarra Institute for Health ResearchPamplona, Spain
| | - Takahiro Furuta
- Department of Morphological Brain Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University Kyoto, Japan
| | - Francisco Clascá
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Autónoma University Madrid, Spain
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14
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Oyama K, Tateyama Y, Hernádi I, Tobler PN, Iijima T, Tsutsui KI. Discrete coding of stimulus value, reward expectation, and reward prediction error in the dorsal striatum. J Neurophysiol 2015; 114:2600-15. [PMID: 26378201 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00097.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2015] [Accepted: 08/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
To investigate how the striatum integrates sensory information with reward information for behavioral guidance, we recorded single-unit activity in the dorsal striatum of head-fixed rats participating in a probabilistic Pavlovian conditioning task with auditory conditioned stimuli (CSs) in which reward probability was fixed for each CS but parametrically varied across CSs. We found that the activity of many neurons was linearly correlated with the reward probability indicated by the CSs. The recorded neurons could be classified according to their firing patterns into functional subtypes coding reward probability in different forms such as stimulus value, reward expectation, and reward prediction error. These results suggest that several functional subgroups of dorsal striatal neurons represent different kinds of information formed through extensive prior exposure to CS-reward contingencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kei Oyama
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Life Sciences, Sendai, Japan; Department of Physiology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yukina Tateyama
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Life Sciences, Sendai, Japan
| | - István Hernádi
- Department of Experimental Zoology and Neurobiology and Szentagothai Research Center, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary; and
| | - Philippe N Tobler
- Laboratory for Social and Neural Systems Research, Department of Economics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Toshio Iijima
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Life Sciences, Sendai, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichiro Tsutsui
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Life Sciences, Sendai, Japan;
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15
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Dempsey B, Turner AJ, Le S, Sun QJ, Bou Farah L, Allen AM, Goodchild AK, McMullan S. Recording, labeling, and transfection of single neurons in deep brain structures. Physiol Rep 2015; 3:3/1/e12246. [PMID: 25602013 PMCID: PMC4387759 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.12246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic tools that permit functional or connectomic analysis of neuronal circuits are rapidly transforming neuroscience. The key to deployment of such tools is selective transfection of target neurons, but to date this has largely been achieved using transgenic animals or viral vectors that transduce subpopulations of cells chosen according to anatomical rather than functional criteria. Here, we combine single‐cell transfection with conventional electrophysiological recording techniques, resulting in three novel protocols that can be used for reliable delivery of conventional dyes or genetic material in vitro and in vivo. We report that techniques based on single cell electroporation yield reproducible transfection in vitro, and offer a simple, rapid and reliable alternative to established dye‐labeling techniques in vivo, but are incompatible with targeted transfection in deep brain structures. In contrast, we show that intracellular electrophoresis of plasmid DNA transfects brainstem neurons recorded up to 9 mm deep in the anesthetized rat. The protocols presented here require minimal, if any, modification to recording hardware, take seconds to deploy, and yield high recovery rates in vitro (dye labeling: 89%, plasmid transfection: 49%) and in vivo (dye labeling: 66%, plasmid transfection: 27%). They offer improved simplicity compared to the juxtacellular labeling technique and for the first time offer genetic manipulation of functionally characterized neurons in previously inaccessible brain regions. The ability to label individual neurons after electrophysiological characterization of their functional properties is a foundational technique in neuroscience. A number of approaches that achieve this goal have been described, but all are technically challenging. Here, we describe a simple approach that is rapid, reliable, and compatible with delivery of conventional dyes or large plasmid DNA molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bowen Dempsey
- Australian School of Advanced Medicine, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2109, NSW, Australia
| | - Anita J Turner
- Australian School of Advanced Medicine, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2109, NSW, Australia
| | - Sheng Le
- Australian School of Advanced Medicine, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2109, NSW, Australia
| | - Qi-Jian Sun
- Australian School of Advanced Medicine, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2109, NSW, Australia
| | - Lama Bou Farah
- Australian School of Advanced Medicine, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2109, NSW, Australia
| | - Andrew M Allen
- Department of Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Ann K Goodchild
- Australian School of Advanced Medicine, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2109, NSW, Australia
| | - Simon McMullan
- Australian School of Advanced Medicine, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2109, NSW, Australia
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16
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Ohmura N, Kawasaki K, Satoh T, Hata Y. In vivo electroporation to physiologically identified deep brain regions in postnatal mammals. Brain Struct Funct 2014; 220:1307-16. [PMID: 24526275 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-014-0724-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2013] [Accepted: 01/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Genetic manipulation is widely used to research the central nervous system (CNS). The manipulation of molecular expression in a small number of neurons permits the detailed investigation of the role of specific molecules on the function and morphology of the neurons. Electroporation is a broadly used technique for gene transfer in the CNS. However, the targeting of gene transfer using electroporation in postnatal animals was restricted to the cortex, hippocampus, or the region facing the ventricle in previous reports. Electroporation targeting of deep brain structures, such as the thalamus, has been difficult. We introduce a novel electroporation technique that enables gene transfer to a physiologically identified deep brain region using a glass pipette. We recorded neural activity in young-adult mice to identify the location of the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of the thalamus, using a glass pipette electrode containing the plasmid DNA encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). The location of the LGN was confirmed by monitoring visual responses, and the plasmid solution was pressure-injected into the recording site. Voltage pulses were delivered through the glass pipette electrode. Several EGFP-labeled somata and dendrites were observed in the LGN after a few weeks, and labeled axons were found in the visual cortex. The EGFP-expressing structures were observed in detail sufficient to reconstruct their morphology in three dimensions. We further confirmed the applicability of this technique in cats. This method should be useful for the transfer of various genes into cells in physiologically identified brain regions in rodents and gyrencephalic mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nami Ohmura
- Division of Integrative Bioscience, Institute of Regenerative Medicine and Biofunction, Tottori University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 86 Nishicho, Yonago, 683-8503, Japan
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