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Monitoring neural activity with bioluminescence during natural behavior.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Naumann, EA; Kampff, AR; Prober, DA; Schier, AF; Engert, F
Published in: Nat Neurosci
April 2010

Existing techniques for monitoring neural activity in awake, freely behaving vertebrates are invasive and difficult to target to genetically identified neurons. We used bioluminescence to non-invasively monitor the activity of genetically specified neurons in freely behaving zebrafish. Transgenic fish with the Ca(2+)-sensitive photoprotein green fluorescent protein (GFP)-Aequorin in most neurons generated large and fast bioluminescent signals that were related to neural activity, neuroluminescence, which could be recorded continuously for many days. To test the limits of this technique, we specifically targeted GFP-Aequorin to the hypocretin-positive neurons of the hypothalamus. We found that neuroluminescence generated by this group of approximately 20 neurons was associated with periods of increased locomotor activity and identified two classes of neural activity corresponding to distinct swim latencies. Our neuroluminescence assay can report, with high temporal resolution and sensitivity, the activity of small subsets of neurons during unrestrained behavior.

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Published In

Nat Neurosci

DOI

EISSN

1546-1726

Publication Date

April 2010

Volume

13

Issue

4

Start / End Page

513 / 520

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Zebrafish
  • Orexins
  • Neuropeptides
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Nerve Net
  • Motor Activity
  • Luminescent Proteins
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Behavior, Animal
 

Citation

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Naumann, E. A., Kampff, A. R., Prober, D. A., Schier, A. F., & Engert, F. (2010). Monitoring neural activity with bioluminescence during natural behavior. Nat Neurosci, 13(4), 513–520. https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.2518
Naumann, Eva A., Adam R. Kampff, David A. Prober, Alexander F. Schier, and Florian Engert. “Monitoring neural activity with bioluminescence during natural behavior.Nat Neurosci 13, no. 4 (April 2010): 513–20. https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.2518.
Naumann EA, Kampff AR, Prober DA, Schier AF, Engert F. Monitoring neural activity with bioluminescence during natural behavior. Nat Neurosci. 2010 Apr;13(4):513–20.
Naumann, Eva A., et al. “Monitoring neural activity with bioluminescence during natural behavior.Nat Neurosci, vol. 13, no. 4, Apr. 2010, pp. 513–20. Pubmed, doi:10.1038/nn.2518.
Naumann EA, Kampff AR, Prober DA, Schier AF, Engert F. Monitoring neural activity with bioluminescence during natural behavior. Nat Neurosci. 2010 Apr;13(4):513–520.

Published In

Nat Neurosci

DOI

EISSN

1546-1726

Publication Date

April 2010

Volume

13

Issue

4

Start / End Page

513 / 520

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Zebrafish
  • Orexins
  • Neuropeptides
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Nerve Net
  • Motor Activity
  • Luminescent Proteins
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Behavior, Animal