PUBLICATION

Functional calcium imaging in zebrafish lateral-line hair cells

Authors
Zhang, Q.X., He, X.J., Wong, H.C., Kindt, K.S.
ID
ZDB-PUB-160608-11
Date
2016
Source
Methods in cell biology   133: 229-252 (Chapter)
Registered Authors
Kindt, Katie, Wong, Hiu-Tung Candy, Zhang, Qiuxiang
Keywords
Calcium imaging, Hair cells, Lateral line, Zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Calcium/analysis*
  • Calcium Signaling
  • Larva/metabolism
  • Lateral Line System/cytology*
  • Optical Imaging/methods*
  • Zebrafish/growth & development*
  • Zebrafish/metabolism
PubMed
27263415 Full text @ Meth. Cell. Biol.
Abstract
Sensory hair-cell development, function, and regeneration are fundamental processes that are challenging to study in mammalian systems. Zebrafish are an excellent alternative model to study hair cells because they have an external auxiliary organ called the lateral line. The hair cells of the lateral line are easily accessible, which makes them suitable for live, function-based fluorescence imaging. In this chapter, we describe methods to perform functional calcium imaging in zebrafish lateral-line hair cells. We compare genetically encoded calcium indicators that have been used previously to measure calcium in lateral-line hair cells. We also outline equipment required for calcium imaging and compare different imaging systems. Lastly, we discuss how to set up optimal imaging parameters and how to process and visualize calcium signals. Overall, using these methods, in vivo calcium imaging is a powerful tool to examine sensory hair-cell function in an intact organism.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping