Monitoring neural activity with bioluminescence during natural behavior.
Journal Article (Journal Article)
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.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Naumann, EA; Kampff, AR; Prober, DA; Schier, AF; Engert, F
Published Date
- April 2010
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 13 / 4
Start / End Page
- 513 - 520
PubMed ID
- 20305645
Pubmed Central ID
- PMC2846983
Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)
- 1546-1726
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1038/nn.2518
Language
- eng
Conference Location
- United States