1
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Han X, Lu X, Li PH, Wang S, Schalek R, Meirovitch Y, Lin Z, Adhinarta J, Murray KD, MacNiven LM, Berger DR, Wu Y, Fang T, Meral ES, Asraf S, Ploegh H, Pfister H, Wei D, Jain V, Trimmer JS, Lichtman JW. Multiplexed volumetric CLEM enabled by scFvs provides insights into the cytology of cerebellar cortex. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6648. [PMID: 39103318 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50411-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Mapping neuronal networks is a central focus in neuroscience. While volume electron microscopy (vEM) can reveal the fine structure of neuronal networks (connectomics), it does not provide molecular information to identify cell types or functions. We developed an approach that uses fluorescent single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) to perform multiplexed detergent-free immunolabeling and volumetric-correlated-light-and-electron-microscopy on the same sample. We generated eight fluorescent scFvs targeting brain markers. Six fluorescent probes were imaged in the cerebellum of a female mouse, using confocal microscopy with spectral unmixing, followed by vEM of the same sample. The results provide excellent ultrastructure superimposed with multiple fluorescence channels. Using this approach, we documented a poorly described cell type, two types of mossy fiber terminals, and the subcellular localization of one type of ion channel. Because scFvs can be derived from existing monoclonal antibodies, hundreds of such probes can be generated to enable molecular overlays for connectomic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomeng Han
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Xiaotang Lu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | | | - Shuohong Wang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Richard Schalek
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yaron Meirovitch
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Zudi Lin
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jason Adhinarta
- Computer Science Department, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - Karl D Murray
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Leah M MacNiven
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Daniel R Berger
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yuelong Wu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Tao Fang
- Program of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Shadnan Asraf
- School of Public Health, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Hidde Ploegh
- Program of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hanspeter Pfister
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Donglai Wei
- Computer Science Department, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | | | - James S Trimmer
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Jeff W Lichtman
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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2
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Baek S, Jang J, Jung HJ, Lee H, Choe Y. Advanced Immunolabeling Method for Optical Volumetric Imaging Reveals Dystrophic Neurites of Dopaminergic Neurons in Alzheimer's Disease Mouse Brain. Mol Neurobiol 2024; 61:3976-3999. [PMID: 38049707 PMCID: PMC11236860 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03823-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Optical brain clearing combined with immunolabeling is valuable for analyzing molecular tissue structures, including complex synaptic connectivity. However, the presence of aberrant lipid deposition due to aging and brain disorders poses a challenge for achieving antibody penetration throughout the entire brain volume. Herein, we present an efficient brain-wide immunolabeling method, the immuno-active clearing technique (iACT). The treatment of brain tissues with a zwitterionic detergent, specifically SB3-12, significantly enhanced tissue permeability by effectively mitigating lipid barriers. Notably, Quadrol treatment further refines the methodology by effectively eliminating residual detergents from cleared brain tissues, subsequently amplifying volumetric fluorescence signals. Employing iACT, we uncover disrupted axonal projections within the mesolimbic dopaminergic (DA) circuits in 5xFAD mice. Subsequent characterization of DA neural circuits in 5xFAD mice revealed proximal axonal swelling and misrouting of distal axonal compartments in proximity to amyloid-beta plaques. Importantly, these structural anomalies in DA axons correlate with a marked reduction in DA release within the nucleus accumbens. Collectively, our findings highlight the efficacy of optical volumetric imaging with iACT in resolving intricate structural alterations in deep brain neural circuits. Furthermore, we unveil the compromised integrity of DA pathways, contributing to the underlying neuropathology of Alzheimer's disease. The iACT technique thus holds significant promise as a valuable asset for advancing our understanding of complex neurodegenerative disorders and may pave the way for targeted therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soonbong Baek
- Developmental Disorders & Rare Diseases Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, 61 Cheomdan-ro, Daegu, 41062, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaemyung Jang
- Developmental Disorders & Rare Diseases Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, 61 Cheomdan-ro, Daegu, 41062, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Jin Jung
- Developmental Disorders & Rare Diseases Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, 61 Cheomdan-ro, Daegu, 41062, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeyoung Lee
- Division of Applied Bioengineering, Dong-eui University, Busanjin-gu, Busan, 47340, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngshik Choe
- Developmental Disorders & Rare Diseases Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, 61 Cheomdan-ro, Daegu, 41062, Republic of Korea.
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3
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Fulton KA, Watkins PV, Briggman KL. GAUSS-EM, guided accumulation of ultrathin serial sections with a static magnetic field for volume electron microscopy. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2024; 4:100720. [PMID: 38452770 PMCID: PMC10985227 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2024.100720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Serial sectioning electron microscopy (EM) of millimeter-scale three-dimensional (3D) anatomical volumes requires the collection of thousands of ultrathin sections. Here, we report a high-throughput automated approach, GAUSS-EM (guided accumulation of ultrathin serial sections-EM), utilizing a static magnetic field to collect and densely pack thousands of sections onto individual silicon wafers. The method is capable of sectioning hundreds of microns of tissue per day at section thicknesses down to 35 nm. Relative to other automated volume EM approaches, GAUSS-EM democratizes the ability to collect large 3D EM volumes because it is simple and inexpensive to implement. We present two exemplar EM volumes of a zebrafish eye and mouse olfactory bulb collected with the method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara A Fulton
- Department of Computational Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior - caesar, 53175 Bonn, NRW, Germany
| | - Paul V Watkins
- Department of Computational Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior - caesar, 53175 Bonn, NRW, Germany
| | - Kevin L Briggman
- Department of Computational Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior - caesar, 53175 Bonn, NRW, Germany.
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4
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Han X, Li PH, Wang S, Sanchez M, Aggarwal S, Blakely T, Schalek R, Meirovitch Y, Lin Z, Berger D, Wu Y, Aly F, Bay S, Delatour B, LaFaye P, Pfister H, Wei D, Jain V, Ploegh H, Lichtman J. A large-scale volumetric correlated light and electron microscopy study localizes Alzheimer's disease-related molecules in the hippocampus. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.24.563674. [PMID: 37961104 PMCID: PMC10634883 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.24.563674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Connectomics is a nascent neuroscience field to map and analyze neuronal networks. It provides a new way to investigate abnormalities in brain tissue, including in models of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This age-related disease is associated with alterations in amyloid-β (Aβ) and phosphorylated tau (pTau). These alterations correlate with AD's clinical manifestations, but causal links remain unclear. Therefore, studying these molecular alterations within the context of the local neuronal and glial milieu may provide insight into disease mechanisms. Volume electron microscopy (vEM) is an ideal tool for performing connectomics studies at the ultrastructural level, but localizing specific biomolecules within large-volume vEM data has been challenging. Here we report a volumetric correlated light and electron microscopy (vCLEM) approach using fluorescent nanobodies as immuno-probes to localize Alzheimer's disease-related molecules in a large vEM volume. Three molecules (pTau, Aβ, and a marker for activated microglia (CD11b)) were labeled without the need for detergents by three nanobody probes in a sample of the hippocampus of the 3xTg Alzheimer's disease model mouse. Confocal microscopy followed by vEM imaging of the same sample allowed for registration of the location of the molecules within the volume. This dataset revealed several ultrastructural abnormalities regarding the localizations of Aβ and pTau in novel locations. For example, two pTau-positive post-synaptic spine-like protrusions innervated by axon terminals were found projecting from the axon initial segment of a pyramidal cell. Three pyramidal neurons with intracellular Aβ or pTau were 3D reconstructed. Automatic synapse detection, which is necessary for connectomics analysis, revealed the changes in density and volume of synapses at different distances from an Aβ plaque. This vCLEM approach is useful to uncover molecular alterations within large-scale volume electron microscopy data, opening a new connectomics pathway to study Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia.
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5
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Pérez-Garza J, Parrish-Mulliken E, Deane Z, Ostroff LE. Rehydration of Freeze Substituted Brain Tissue for Pre-embedding Immunoelectron Microscopy. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2023; 29:1694-1704. [PMID: 37584524 PMCID: PMC10541149 DOI: 10.1093/micmic/ozad077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
Electron microscopy (EM) volume reconstruction is a powerful tool for investigating the fundamental structure of brain circuits, but the full potential of this technique is limited by the difficulty of integrating molecular information. High quality ultrastructural preservation is necessary for EM reconstruction, and intact, highly contrasted cell membranes are essential for following small neuronal processes through serial sections. Unfortunately, the antibody labeling methods used to identify most endogenous molecules result in compromised morphology, especially of membranes. Cryofixation can produce superior morphological preservation and has the additional advantage of allowing indefinite storage of valuable samples. We have developed a method based on cryofixation that allows sensitive immunolabeling of endogenous molecules, preserves excellent ultrastructure, and is compatible with high-contrast staining for serial EM reconstruction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janeth Pérez-Garza
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, 75 North Eagleville Rd. Unit 3156, Storrs, CT 06269-3156, USA
| | - Emily Parrish-Mulliken
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, 75 North Eagleville Rd. Unit 3156, Storrs, CT 06269-3156, USA
| | - Zachary Deane
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, 75 North Eagleville Rd. Unit 3156, Storrs, CT 06269-3156, USA
| | - Linnaea E Ostroff
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, 75 North Eagleville Rd. Unit 3156, Storrs, CT 06269-3156, USA
- Connecticut Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Connecticut, 337 Mansfield Rd. Unit 1272, Storrs, CT 06269-1272, USA
- Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, 25 King Hill Rd. Unit 3136, Storrs, CT 06269-3136, USA
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6
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Lu X, Wu Y, Li PH, Fang T, Schalek RL, Su Y, Carter JD, Gupta S, Jain V, Janjic N, Lichtman JW. Probing Molecular Diversity and Ultrastructure of Brain Cells with Fluorescent Aptamers. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.18.558240. [PMID: 37781608 PMCID: PMC10541122 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.18.558240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Detergent-free immunolabeling has been proven feasible for correlated light and electron microscopy, but its application is restricted by the availability of suitable affinity reagents. Here we introduce CAptVE, a method using slow off-rate modified aptamers for cell fluorescence labeling on ultrastructurally reconstructable electron micrographs. CAptVE provides labeling for a wide range of biomarkers, offering a pathway to integrate molecular analysis into recent approaches to delineate neural circuits via connectomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotang Lu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and The Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yuelong Wu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and The Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Tao Fang
- Program of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Richard L Schalek
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and The Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yaxin Su
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and The Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Jeff W Lichtman
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and The Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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7
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Hayashi S, Ohno N, Knott G, Molnár Z. Correlative light and volume electron microscopy to study brain development. Microscopy (Oxf) 2023; 72:279-286. [PMID: 36620906 DOI: 10.1093/jmicro/dfad002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in volume electron microscopy (EM) have been driving our thorough understanding of the brain architecture. Volume EM becomes increasingly powerful when cells and their subcellular structures that are imaged in light microscopy are correlated to those in ultramicrographs obtained with EM. This correlative approach, called correlative light and volume electron microscopy (vCLEM), is used to link three-dimensional ultrastructural information with physiological data such as intracellular Ca2+ dynamics. Genetic tools to express fluorescent proteins and/or an engineered form of a soybean ascorbate peroxidase allow us to perform vCLEM using natural landmarks including blood vessels without immunohistochemical staining. This immunostaining-free vCLEM has been successfully employed in two-photon Ca2+ imaging in vivo as well as in studying complex synaptic connections in thalamic neurons that receive a variety of specialized inputs from the cerebral cortex. In this mini-review, we overview how volume EM and vCLEM have contributed to studying the developmental processes of the brain. We also discuss potential applications of genetic manipulation of target cells using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-associated protein 9 and subsequent volume EM to the analysis of protein localization as well as to loss-of-function studies of genes regulating brain development. We give examples for the combinatorial usage of genetic tools with vCLEM that will further enhance our understanding of regulatory mechanisms underlying brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuichi Hayashi
- Department of Anatomy, Kawasaki Medical School, 577 Matsushima, Kurashiki, Okayama 701-0192, Japan
| | - Nobuhiko Ohno
- Department of Anatomy, Division of Histology and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan
- Division of Ultrastructural Research, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
| | - Graham Knott
- Biological Electron Microscopy Facility, Faculty of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Route Cantonale, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Zoltán Molnár
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Sherrington Building, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
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8
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Lu X, Han X, Meirovitch Y, Sjöstedt E, Schalek RL, Lichtman JW. Preserving extracellular space for high-quality optical and ultrastructural studies of whole mammalian brains. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2023; 3:100520. [PMID: 37533653 PMCID: PMC10391564 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2023.100520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Analysis of brain structure, connectivity, and molecular diversity relies on effective tissue fixation. Conventional tissue fixation causes extracellular space (ECS) loss, complicating the segmentation of cellular objects from electron microscopy datasets. Previous techniques for preserving ECS in mammalian brains utilizing high-pressure perfusion can give inconsistent results owing to variations in the hydrostatic pressure within the vasculature. A more reliable fixation protocol that uniformly preserves the ECS throughout whole brains would greatly benefit a wide range of neuroscience studies. Here, we report a straightforward transcardial perfusion strategy that preserves ECS throughout the whole rodent brain. No special setup is needed besides sequential solution changes, and the protocol offers excellent reproducibility. In addition to better capturing tissue ultrastructure, preservation of ECS has many downstream advantages such as accelerating heavy-metal staining for electron microscopy, improving detergent-free immunohistochemistry for correlated light and electron microscopy, and facilitating lipid removal for tissue clearing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotang Lu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Xiaomeng Han
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yaron Meirovitch
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Evelina Sjöstedt
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Richard L. Schalek
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jeff W. Lichtman
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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9
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Han X, Lu X, Li PH, Wang S, Schalek R, Meirovitch Y, Lin Z, Adhinarta J, Berger D, Wu Y, Fang T, Meral ES, Asraf S, Ploegh H, Pfister H, Wei D, Jain V, Trimmer JS, Lichtman JW. Multiplexed volumetric CLEM enabled by antibody derivatives provides new insights into the cytology of the mouse cerebellar cortex. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3121892. [PMID: 37461609 PMCID: PMC10350204 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3121892/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Mapping neuronal networks that underlie behavior has become a central focus in neuroscience. While serial section electron microscopy (ssEM) can reveal the fine structure of neuronal networks (connectomics), it does not provide the molecular information that helps identify cell types or their functional properties. Volumetric correlated light and electron microscopy (vCLEM) combines ssEM and volumetric fluorescence microscopy to incorporate molecular labeling into ssEM datasets. We developed an approach that uses small fluorescent single-chain variable fragment (scFv) immuno-probes to perform multiplexed detergent-free immuno-labeling and ssEM on the same samples. We generated eight such fluorescent scFvs that targeted useful markers for brain studies (green fluorescent protein, glial fibrillary acidic protein, calbindin, parvalbumin, voltage-gated potassium channel subfamily A member 2, vesicular glutamate transporter 1, postsynaptic density protein 95, and neuropeptide Y). To test the vCLEM approach, six different fluorescent probes were imaged in a sample of the cortex of a cerebellar lobule (Crus 1), using confocal microscopy with spectral unmixing, followed by ssEM imaging of the same sample. The results show excellent ultrastructure with superimposition of the multiple fluorescence channels. Using this approach we could document a poorly described cell type in the cerebellum, two types of mossy fiber terminals, and the subcellular localization of one type of ion channel. Because scFvs can be derived from existing monoclonal antibodies, hundreds of such probes can be generated to enable molecular overlays for connectomic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomeng Han
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
| | - Xiaotang Lu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
| | | | - Shuohong Wang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
| | - Richard Schalek
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
| | - Yaron Meirovitch
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
| | - Zudi Lin
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
| | - Jason Adhinarta
- Computer Science Department, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA
| | - Daniel Berger
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
| | - Yuelong Wu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
| | - Tao Fang
- Program of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA
| | | | - Shadnan Asraf
- School of Public Health, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA
| | - Hidde Ploegh
- Program of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Hanspeter Pfister
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
| | - Donglai Wei
- Computer Science Department, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA
| | | | - James S. Trimmer
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Davis, CA
| | - Jeff W. Lichtman
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
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10
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Han X, Lu X, Li PH, Wang S, Schalek R, Meirovitch Y, Lin Z, Adhinarta J, Berger D, Wu Y, Fang T, Meral ES, Asraf S, Ploegh H, Pfister H, Wei D, Jain V, Trimmer JS, Lichtman JW. Multiplexed Volumetric CLEM enabled by antibody derivatives provides new insights into the cytology of the mouse cerebellar cortex. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.20.540091. [PMID: 37292964 PMCID: PMC10245788 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.20.540091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Mapping neuronal networks that underlie behavior has become a central focus in neuroscience. While serial section electron microscopy (ssEM) can reveal the fine structure of neuronal networks (connectomics), it does not provide the molecular information that helps identify cell types or their functional properties. Volumetric correlated light and electron microscopy (vCLEM) combines ssEM and volumetric fluorescence microscopy to incorporate molecular labeling into ssEM datasets. We developed an approach that uses small fluorescent single-chain variable fragment (scFv) immuno-probes to perform multiplexed detergent-free immuno-labeling and serial electron microscopy on the same samples. We generated eight such fluorescent scFvs that targeted useful markers for brain studies (GFP, GFAP, calbindin, parvalbumin, Kv1.2, VGluT1, PSD-95, and neuropeptide Y). To test the vCLEM approach, six different fluorescent probes were imaged in a sample of the cortex of a cerebellar lobule (Crus 1), using confocal microscopy with linear unmixing, followed by ssEM imaging of the same sample. The results show excellent ultrastructure and superimposition of the different fluorescence channels. We document a poorly described cell type in the cerebellum, two types of mossy fiber terminals, and the subcellular localization of ion channels. Because scFvs can be derived from existing monoclonal antibodies, hundreds of such probes can be generated to enable a wide range of connectomic studies.
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11
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Rollenhagen A, Anstötz M, Zimmermann K, Kasugai Y, Sätzler K, Molnar E, Ferraguti F, Lübke JHR. Layer-specific distribution and expression pattern of AMPA- and NMDA-type glutamate receptors in the barrel field of the adult rat somatosensory cortex: a quantitative electron microscopic analysis. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:2342-2360. [PMID: 35732315 PMCID: PMC9977369 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac212] [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: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
AMPA (α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid) and NMDA (N-methyl-d-aspartate) glutamate receptors are driving forces for synaptic transmission and plasticity at neocortical synapses. However, their distribution pattern in the adult rat neocortex is largely unknown and was quantified using freeze fracture replication combined with postimmunogold-labeling. Both receptors were co-localized at layer (L)4 and L5 postsynaptic densities (PSDs). At L4 dendritic shaft and spine PSDs, the number of gold grains detecting AMPA was similar, whereas at L5 shaft PSDs AMPA-receptors outnumbered those on spine PSDs. Their number was significantly higher at L5 vs. L4 PSDs. At L4 and L5 dendritic shaft PSDs, the number of gold grains detecting GluN1 was ~2-fold higher than at spine PSDs. The number of gold grains detecting the GluN1-subunit was higher for both shaft and spine PSDs in L5 vs. L4. Both receptors showed a large variability in L4 and L5. A high correlation between the number of gold grains and PSD size for both receptors and targets was observed. Both receptors were distributed over the entire PSD but showed a layer- and target-specific distribution pattern. The layer- and target-specific distribution of AMPA and GluN1 glutamate receptors partially contribute to the observed functional differences in synaptic transmission and plasticity in the neocortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Rollenhagen
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-10, Research Centre Jülich GmbH, Leo Brandt Str., Jülich 52425, Germany
| | - Max Anstötz
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-10, Research Centre Jülich GmbH, Leo Brandt Str., Jülich 52425, Germany.,Institute of Anatomy II, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-University, Universitätsstr. 1, Düsseldorf 40001, Germany
| | - Kerstin Zimmermann
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-10, Research Centre Jülich GmbH, Leo Brandt Str., Jülich 52425, Germany
| | - Yu Kasugai
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Peter Mayr Strasse 1a, Innsbruck A-6020, Austria
| | - Kurt Sätzler
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Cromore Rd., Londonderry BT52 1SA, United Kingdom
| | - Elek Molnar
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom
| | - Francesco Ferraguti
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Peter Mayr Strasse 1a, Innsbruck A-6020, Austria
| | - Joachim H R Lübke
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-10, Research Centre Jülich GmbH, Leo Brandt Str., Jülich 52425, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH/Medical University Aachen, Pauwelstr. 30, Aachen 52074, Germany.,JARA Translational Medicine Jülich/Aachen, Germany
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12
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Svara F, Förster D, Kubo F, Januszewski M, dal Maschio M, Schubert PJ, Kornfeld J, Wanner AA, Laurell E, Denk W, Baier H. Automated synapse-level reconstruction of neural circuits in the larval zebrafish brain. Nat Methods 2022; 19:1357-1366. [DOI: 10.1038/s41592-022-01621-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
AbstractDense reconstruction of synaptic connectivity requires high-resolution electron microscopy images of entire brains and tools to efficiently trace neuronal wires across the volume. To generate such a resource, we sectioned and imaged a larval zebrafish brain by serial block-face electron microscopy at a voxel size of 14 × 14 × 25 nm3. We segmented the resulting dataset with the flood-filling network algorithm, automated the detection of chemical synapses and validated the results by comparisons to transmission electron microscopic images and light-microscopic reconstructions. Neurons and their connections are stored in the form of a queryable and expandable digital address book. We reconstructed a network of 208 neurons involved in visual motion processing, most of them located in the pretectum, which had been functionally characterized in the same specimen by two-photon calcium imaging. Moreover, we mapped all 407 presynaptic and postsynaptic partners of two superficial interneurons in the tectum. The resource developed here serves as a foundation for synaptic-resolution circuit analyses in the zebrafish nervous system.
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13
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Peddie CJ, Genoud C, Kreshuk A, Meechan K, Micheva KD, Narayan K, Pape C, Parton RG, Schieber NL, Schwab Y, Titze B, Verkade P, Aubrey A, Collinson LM. Volume electron microscopy. NATURE REVIEWS. METHODS PRIMERS 2022; 2:51. [PMID: 37409324 PMCID: PMC7614724 DOI: 10.1038/s43586-022-00131-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Life exists in three dimensions, but until the turn of the century most electron microscopy methods provided only 2D image data. Recently, electron microscopy techniques capable of delving deep into the structure of cells and tissues have emerged, collectively called volume electron microscopy (vEM). Developments in vEM have been dubbed a quiet revolution as the field evolved from established transmission and scanning electron microscopy techniques, so early publications largely focused on the bioscience applications rather than the underlying technological breakthroughs. However, with an explosion in the uptake of vEM across the biosciences and fast-paced advances in volume, resolution, throughput and ease of use, it is timely to introduce the field to new audiences. In this Primer, we introduce the different vEM imaging modalities, the specialized sample processing and image analysis pipelines that accompany each modality and the types of information revealed in the data. We showcase key applications in the biosciences where vEM has helped make breakthrough discoveries and consider limitations and future directions. We aim to show new users how vEM can support discovery science in their own research fields and inspire broader uptake of the technology, finally allowing its full adoption into mainstream biological imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J. Peddie
- Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Christel Genoud
- Electron Microscopy Facility, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Anna Kreshuk
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kimberly Meechan
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
- Present address: Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kristina D. Micheva
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Kedar Narayan
- Center for Molecular Microscopy, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Constantin Pape
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Robert G. Parton
- The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nicole L. Schieber
- Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Yannick Schwab
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit/ Electron Microscopy Core Facility, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Paul Verkade
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Aubrey Aubrey
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - Lucy M. Collinson
- Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
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14
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Rose P, Klioutchnikov A, Wallace DJ, Greenberg DS, Kerr JND, Sawinski J. Measurement of arbitrary scan patterns for correction of imaging distortions in laser scanning microscopy. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2022; 13:3983-3992. [PMID: 35991933 PMCID: PMC9352294 DOI: 10.1364/boe.454155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Laser scanning microscopy requires beam steering through relay and focusing optics at sub-micron precision. In light-weight mobile systems, such as head mounted multiphoton microscopes, distortion and imaging plane curvature management is unpractical due to the complexity of required optic compensation. Thus, the resulting scan pattern limits anatomical fidelity and decreases analysis algorithm efficiency. Here, we present a technique that reconstructs the three-dimensional scan path only requiring translation of a simple fluorescent test probe. Our method is applicable to any type of scanning instrument with sectioning capabilities without prior assumptions regarding origin of imaging deviations. Further, we demonstrate that the obtained scan pattern allows analysis of these errors, and allows to restore anatomical accuracy relevant for complementary methods such as motion correction, further enhancing spatial registration and feature extraction.
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15
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Behrens C, Yadav SC, Korympidou MM, Zhang Y, Haverkamp S, Irsen S, Schaedler A, Lu X, Liu Z, Lause J, St-Pierre F, Franke K, Vlasits A, Dedek K, Smith RG, Euler T, Berens P, Schubert T. Retinal horizontal cells use different synaptic sites for global feedforward and local feedback signaling. Curr Biol 2022; 32:545-558.e5. [PMID: 34910950 PMCID: PMC8886496 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.11.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In the outer plexiform layer (OPL) of the mammalian retina, cone photoreceptors (cones) provide input to more than a dozen types of cone bipolar cells (CBCs). In the mouse, this transmission is modulated by a single horizontal cell (HC) type. HCs perform global signaling within their laterally coupled network but also provide local, cone-specific feedback. However, it is unknown how HCs provide local feedback to cones at the same time as global forward signaling to CBCs and where the underlying synapses are located. To assess how HCs simultaneously perform different modes of signaling, we reconstructed the dendritic trees of five HCs as well as cone axon terminals and CBC dendrites in a serial block-face electron microscopy volume and analyzed their connectivity. In addition to the fine HC dendritic tips invaginating cone axon terminals, we also identified "bulbs," short segments of increased dendritic diameter on the primary dendrites of HCs. These bulbs are in an OPL stratum well below the cone axon terminal base and make contacts with other HCs and CBCs. Our results from immunolabeling, electron microscopy, and glutamate imaging suggest that HC bulbs represent GABAergic synapses that do not receive any direct photoreceptor input. Together, our data suggest the existence of two synaptic strata in the mouse OPL, spatially separating cone-specific feedback and feedforward signaling to CBCs. A biophysical model of a HC dendritic branch and voltage imaging support the hypothesis that this spatial arrangement of synaptic contacts allows for simultaneous local feedback and global feedforward signaling by HCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Behrens
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 27, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Shubhash Chandra Yadav
- Neurosensorics/Animal Navigation, Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Carl-von-Ossietzky-Str. 9-11, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Maria M Korympidou
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 27, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Yue Zhang
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 27, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Silke Haverkamp
- Department of Computational Neuroethology, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (caesar), Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Stephan Irsen
- Electron Microscopy and Analytics, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (caesar), Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Anna Schaedler
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 27, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Xiaoyu Lu
- Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology Program, Rice University, 6500 Main St., Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Zhuohe Liu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Jan Lause
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 27, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - François St-Pierre
- Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology Program, Rice University, 6500 Main St., Houston, TX 77005, USA; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX 77005, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Katrin Franke
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Anna Vlasits
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Karin Dedek
- Neurosensorics/Animal Navigation, Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Carl-von-Ossietzky-Str. 9-11, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Robert G Smith
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, 422 Curie Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Thomas Euler
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Philipp Berens
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Tübingen AI Center, University of Tübingen, Maria-von-Linden-Straße 6, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Timm Schubert
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
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16
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Friedrichsen K, Ramakrishna P, Hsiang JC, Valkova K, Kerschensteiner D, Morgan JL. Reconstructing neural circuits using multiresolution correlated light and electron microscopy. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:753496. [PMID: 36338333 PMCID: PMC9635852 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.753496] [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: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Correlated light and electron microscopy (CLEM) can be used to combine functional and molecular characterizations of neurons with detailed anatomical maps of their synaptic organization. Here we describe a multiresolution approach to CLEM (mrCLEM) that efficiently targets electron microscopy (EM) imaging to optically characterized cells while maintaining optimal tissue preparation for high-throughput EM reconstruction. This approach hinges on the ease with which arrays of sections collected on a solid substrate can be repeatedly imaged at different scales using scanning electron microscopy. We match this multiresolution EM imaging with multiresolution confocal mapping of the aldehyde-fixed tissue. Features visible in lower resolution EM correspond well to features visible in densely labeled optical maps of fixed tissue. Iterative feature matching, starting with gross anatomical correspondences and ending with subcellular structure, can then be used to target high-resolution EM image acquisition and annotation to cells of interest. To demonstrate this technique and range of images used to link live optical imaging to EM reconstructions, we provide a walkthrough of a mouse retinal light to EM experiment as well as some examples from mouse brain slices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl Friedrichsen
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Pratyush Ramakrishna
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Jen-Chun Hsiang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Katia Valkova
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Daniel Kerschensteiner
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Josh L Morgan
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
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17
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Wildenberg G, Sorokina A, Koranda J, Monical A, Heer C, Sheffield M, Zhuang X, McGehee D, Kasthuri B. Partial connectomes of labeled dopaminergic circuits reveal non-synaptic communication and axonal remodeling after exposure to cocaine. eLife 2021; 10:71981. [PMID: 34965204 PMCID: PMC8716107 DOI: 10.7554/elife.71981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopaminergic (DA) neurons exert profound influences on behavior including addiction. However, how DA axons communicate with target neurons and how those communications change with drug exposure remains poorly understood. We leverage cell type-specific labeling with large volume serial electron microscopy to detail DA connections in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of the mouse (Mus musculus) before and after exposure to cocaine. We find that individual DA axons contain different varicosity types based on their vesicle contents. Spatially ordering along individual axons further suggests that varicosity types are non-randomly organized. DA axon varicosities rarely make specific synapses (<2%, 6/410), but instead are more likely to form spinule-like structures (15%, 61/410) with neighboring neurons. Days after a brief exposure to cocaine, DA axons were extensively branched relative to controls, formed blind-ended 'bulbs' filled with mitochondria, and were surrounded by elaborated glia. Finally, mitochondrial lengths increased by ~2.2 times relative to control only in DA axons and NAc spiny dendrites after cocaine exposure. We conclude that DA axonal transmission is unlikely to be mediated via classical synapses in the NAc and that the major locus of anatomical plasticity of DA circuits after exposure to cocaine are large-scale axonal re-arrangements with correlated changes in mitochondria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregg Wildenberg
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States.,Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, United States
| | - Anastasia Sorokina
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States.,Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, United States
| | - Jessica Koranda
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Alexis Monical
- Department of Anesthesia & Critical Care, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Chad Heer
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Mark Sheffield
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Xiaoxi Zhuang
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Daniel McGehee
- Department of Anesthesia & Critical Care, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Bobby Kasthuri
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States.,Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, United States
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18
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Schifferer M, Snaidero N, Djannatian M, Kerschensteiner M, Misgeld T. Niwaki Instead of Random Forests: Targeted Serial Sectioning Scanning Electron Microscopy With Reimaging Capabilities for Exploring Central Nervous System Cell Biology and Pathology. Front Neuroanat 2021; 15:732506. [PMID: 34720890 PMCID: PMC8548362 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2021.732506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ultrastructural analysis of discrete neurobiological structures by volume scanning electron microscopy (SEM) often constitutes a "needle-in-the-haystack" problem and therefore relies on sophisticated search strategies. The appropriate SEM approach for a given relocation task not only depends on the desired final image quality but also on the complexity and required accuracy of the screening process. Block-face SEM techniques like Focused Ion Beam or serial block-face SEM are "one-shot" imaging runs by nature and, thus, require precise relocation prior to acquisition. In contrast, "multi-shot" approaches conserve the sectioned tissue through the collection of serial sections onto solid support and allow reimaging. These tissue libraries generated by Array Tomography or Automated Tape Collecting Ultramicrotomy can be screened at low resolution to target high resolution SEM. This is particularly useful if a structure of interest is rare or has been predetermined by correlated light microscopy, which can assign molecular, dynamic and functional information to an ultrastructure. As such approaches require bridging mm to nm scales, they rely on tissue trimming at different stages of sample processing. Relocation is facilitated by endogenous or exogenous landmarks that are visible by several imaging modalities, combined with appropriate registration strategies that allow overlaying images of various sources. Here, we discuss the opportunities of using multi-shot serial sectioning SEM approaches, as well as suitable trimming and registration techniques, to slim down the high-resolution imaging volume to the actual structure of interest and hence facilitate ambitious targeted volume SEM projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Schifferer
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany
- Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
| | - Nicolas Snaidero
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany
- Institute of Neuronal Cell Biology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Minou Djannatian
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany
- Institute of Neuronal Cell Biology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Martin Kerschensteiner
- Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, Biomedical Center (BMC), Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas Misgeld
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany
- Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
- Institute of Neuronal Cell Biology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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19
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Brahim Belhaouari D, Wurtz N, Grimaldier C, Lacoste A, Pires de Souza GA, Penant G, Hannat S, Baudoin JP, La Scola B. Microscopic Observation of SARS-Like Particles in RT-qPCR SARS-CoV-2 Positive Sewage Samples. Pathogens 2021; 10:516. [PMID: 33923138 PMCID: PMC8146039 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10050516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The ongoing outbreak of novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection has spread rapidly worldwide. The major transmission routes of SARS-CoV-2 are recognised as inhalation of aerosol/droplets and person-to-person contact. However, some studies have demonstrated that live SARS-CoV-2 can be isolated from the faeces and urine of infected patients, which can then enter the wastewater system. The currently available evidence indicates that the viral RNA present in wastewater may become a potential source of epidemiological data. However, to investigate whether wastewater may present a risk to humans such as sewage workers, we investigated whether intact particles of SARS-CoV-2 were observable and whether it was possible to isolate the virus in wastewater. Using a correlative strategy of light microscopy and electron microscopy (CLEM), we demonstrated the presence of intact and degraded SARS-like particles in RT-qPCR SARS-CoV-2-positive sewage sample collected in the city of Marseille. However, the viral infectivity assessment of SARS-CoV-2 in the wastewater was inconclusive, due to the presence of other viruses known to be highly resistant in the environment such as enteroviruses, rhinoviruses, and adenoviruses. Although the survival and the infectious risk of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater cannot be excluded from our study, additional work may be required to investigate the stability, viability, fate, and decay mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 thoroughly in wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Djamal Brahim Belhaouari
- Microbes, Evolution, Phylogeny and Infection (MEPHI), UM63, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Aix- Marseille University, 13005 Marseille, France; (D.B.B.); (N.W.); (G.A.P.d.S.); (S.H.)
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Nathalie Wurtz
- Microbes, Evolution, Phylogeny and Infection (MEPHI), UM63, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Aix- Marseille University, 13005 Marseille, France; (D.B.B.); (N.W.); (G.A.P.d.S.); (S.H.)
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Clio Grimaldier
- Assistance Publique—Hôpitaux de Marseille, 13005 Marseille, France; (C.G.); (G.P.)
| | - Alexandre Lacoste
- Bataillon des Marins Pompiers de Marseille, 13003 Marseille, France;
| | - Gabriel Augusto Pires de Souza
- Microbes, Evolution, Phylogeny and Infection (MEPHI), UM63, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Aix- Marseille University, 13005 Marseille, France; (D.B.B.); (N.W.); (G.A.P.d.S.); (S.H.)
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Gwilherm Penant
- Assistance Publique—Hôpitaux de Marseille, 13005 Marseille, France; (C.G.); (G.P.)
| | - Sihem Hannat
- Microbes, Evolution, Phylogeny and Infection (MEPHI), UM63, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Aix- Marseille University, 13005 Marseille, France; (D.B.B.); (N.W.); (G.A.P.d.S.); (S.H.)
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Jean-Pierre Baudoin
- Assistance Publique—Hôpitaux de Marseille, 13005 Marseille, France; (C.G.); (G.P.)
| | - Bernard La Scola
- Microbes, Evolution, Phylogeny and Infection (MEPHI), UM63, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Aix- Marseille University, 13005 Marseille, France; (D.B.B.); (N.W.); (G.A.P.d.S.); (S.H.)
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, 13005 Marseille, France
- Assistance Publique—Hôpitaux de Marseille, 13005 Marseille, France; (C.G.); (G.P.)
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