We implement several high resolution optical imaging approaches to visualize neuronal structure and function. Several modern optical imaging approaches provide investigators with minimally invasive approaches to investigate synaptic transmission and plasticity in intact nervous tissues. The complexity of structures in the nervous system is bewildering.
We use several different optical probes in order to quantify changes in neural structure and function stemming from environmental or pharmacological manipulations of brain circuit activity. For example, above is illustrated a VAMP-EGFP expressing CA3 pyramidal neuron and its Schaffer collateral axons with a CA1 neuron’s apical dendrites labeled with Alexa-594. The image shows intact synaptic connections in a hippocampal slice culture. At times, it is necessary to record both electrophysiological activity simultaneously while acquiring functional imaging data as shown at left from an example calcium imaging experiment in a mitral cell from acute slice of a rat olfactory bulb. Other example data obtained through various optical imaging approaches we employ are shown below.
