PUBLICATION

Real-Time Visualization of Neuronal Activity during Perception

Authors
Muto, A., Ohkura, M., Abe, G., Nakai, J., and Kawakami, K.
ID
ZDB-PUB-130218-2
Date
2013
Source
Current biology : CB   23(4): 307-311 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Kawakami, Koichi, Muto, Akira
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Spinal Cord/physiology
  • Brain/physiology*
  • Animals
  • Functional Neuroimaging*
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Optic Nerve/physiology*
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Behavior, Animal
  • Superior Colliculi/metabolism
  • Superior Colliculi/physiology
  • Vision, Ocular/physiology*
  • Zebrafish
  • Perception
(all 13)
PubMed
23375894 Full text @ Curr. Biol.
Abstract

To understand how the brain perceives the external world, it is desirable to observe neuronal activity in the brain in real time during perception. The zebrafish is a suitable model animal for fluorescence imaging studies to visualize neuronal activity because its body is transparent through the embryonic and larval stages. Imaging studies have been carried out to monitor neuronal activity in the larval spinal cord and brain using Ca2+ indicator dyes and DNA-encoded Ca2+ indicators, such as Cameleon, GFP-aequorin, and GCaMPs. However, temporal and spatial resolution and sensitivity of these tools are still limited, and imaging of brain activity during perception of a natural object has not yet been demonstrated. Here we demonstrate visualization of neuronal activity in the optic tectum of larval zebrafish by genetically expressing the new version of GCaMP. First, we demonstrate Ca2+ transients in the tectum evoked by a moving spot on a display and identify direction-selective neurons. Second, we show tectal activity during perception of a natural object, a swimming paramecium, revealing a functional visuotopic map. Finally, we image the tectal responses of a free-swimming larval fish to a paramecium and thereby correlate neuronal activity in the brain with prey capture behavior.

Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
No data available
Mutations / Transgenics
Allele Construct Type Affected Genomic Region
nkgsa2azgff49aGtTransgenic Insertion
    w2
      Point Mutation
      zf415TgTransgenic Insertion
        1 - 3 of 3
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        Human Disease / Model
        No data available
        Sequence Targeting Reagents
        No data available
        Fish
        Antibodies
        No data available
        Orthology
        No data available
        Engineered Foreign Genes
        Marker Marker Type Name
        GAL4FFEFGGAL4FF
        GCaMPEFGGCaMP
        1 - 2 of 2
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        Mapping
        No data available