Abstract
We describe a thalamocortical slice preparation in which connectivity between the mouse lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and primary visual cortex (V1) is preserved. Through DiI injections in fixed brains we traced and created a three-dimensional model of the mouse visual pathways. From this computer model we designed a slice preparation that contains a projection from LGN to V1. We prepared brain slices with these predicted coordinates and demonstrated anatomical LGN-V1 connectivity in these slices after LGN tracer injections. We also revealed functional LGN-V1 connectivity by stimulating LGN electrically and detecting responses in layer 4 of V1 using calcium imaging, field potential recordings and whole-cell recordings. We also identified layer-4 neurons that receive direct thalamocortical input. Finally, we compared cortical activity after LGN stimulation with spontaneous cortical activity and found significant overlap of the spatiotemporal dynamics generated by both types of events.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $21.58 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Hubel, D.H. & Wiesel, T.N. Receptive fields, binocular interaction and functional architecture in the cat's visual cortex. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 160, 106–154 (1962).
Goffinet, A. & Rakic, P. (eds.) Mouse brain development (Springer-Verlag, New York, 2000).
MacLean, J.N., Watson, B.O., Aaron, G.B. & Yuste, R. Internal dynamics determine the cortical response to thalamic stimulation. Neuron 48, 811–823 (2005).
Antonini, A., Fagiolini, M. & Stryker, M.P. Anatomical correlates of functional plasticity in mouse visual cortex. J. Neurosci. 19, 4388–4406 (1999).
MacLean, J.N. & Yuste, R. A practical guide: Imaging action potentials with calcium indicators. In Imaging in Neuroscience and Development: a Laboratory Manual 2nd edn. (Yusle, R. and Konnerth, eds.) 351–355 (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, 2005).
Yuste, R. & Katz, L.C. Control of postsynaptic Ca2+ influx in developing neocortex by excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters. Neuron 6, 333–344 (1991).
Zhu, J.J. & Connors, B.W. Intrinsic firing patterns and whisker-evoked synaptic responses of neurons in the rat barrel cortex. J. Neurophysiol. 81, 1171–1183 (1999).
Stratford, K.J., Tarczy-Hornoch, K., Martin, K.A., Bannister, N.J. & Jack, J.J. Excitatory synaptic inputs to spiny stellate cells in cat visual cortex. Nature 382, 258–261 (1996).
Beierlein, M. & Connors, B.W. Short-term dynamics of thalamocortical and intracortical synapses onto layer 6 neurons in neocortex. J. Neurophysiol. 88, 1924–1932 (2002).
Ferster, D. & Lindstrom, S. Synaptic excitation of neurones in area 17 of the cat by intracortical axon collaterals of cortico-geniculate cells. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 367, 233–252 (1985).
Ferster, D. & Lindstrom, S. Augmenting responses evoked in area 17 of the cat by intracortical axon collaterals of cortico-geniculate cells. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 367, 217–232 (1985).
Cossart, R., Aronov, D. & Yuste, R. Attractor dynamics of network UP states in the neocortex. Nature 423, 283–288 (2003).
Cosans, C.E. & Ulinski, P.S. Spatial organization of axons in turtle visual cortex: intralamellar and interlamellar projections. J. Comp. Neurol. 296, 548–558 (1990).
Muhlethaler, M., de Curtis, M., Walton, K. & Llinas, R. The isolated and perfused brain of the guinea-pig in vitro. Eur. J. Neurosci. 5, 915–926 (1993).
Agmon, A. & Connors, B.W. Thalamocortical responses of mouse somatosensory (barrel) cortex in vitro. Neuroscience 41, 365–379 (1991).
Agmon, A. & Connors, B.W. Correlation between intrinsic firing patterns and thalamocortical synaptic responses of neurons in mouse barrel cortex. J. Neurosci. 12, 319–329 (1992).
Castro-Alamancos, M.A. & Connors, B.W. Cellular mechanisms of the augmenting response: short-term plasticity in a thalamocortical pathway. J. Neurosci. 16, 7742–7756 (1996).
Castro-Alamancos, M.A. & Connors, B.W. Short-term plasticity of a thalamocortical pathway dynamically modulated by behavioral state. Science 272, 274–277 (1996).
Castro-Alamancos, M.A. & Connors, B.W. Short-term synaptic enhancement and long-term potentiation in neocortex. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93, 1335–1339 (1996).
Feldman, D.E., Nicoll, R.A. & Malenka, R.C. Synaptic plasticity at thalamocortical synapses in developing rat somatosensory cortex: LTP, LTD, and silent synapses. J. Neurobiol. 41, 92–101 (1999).
Beierlein, M., Fall, C.P., Rinzel, J. & Yuste, R. Thalamocortical bursts trigger recurrent activity in neocortical networks: layer 4 as a frequency-dependent gate. J. Neurosci. 22, 9885–9894 (2002).
Cruikshank, S.J., Rose, H.J. & Metherate, R. Auditory thalamocortical synaptic transmission in vitro. J. Neurophysiol. 87, 361–384 (2002).
Callaway, E.M. & Katz, L.C. Photostimulation using caged glutamate reveals functional circuitry in living brain slices. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90, 7661–7665 (1993).
McQuillen, P.S., DeFreitas, M.F., Zada, G. & Shatz, C.J. A novel role for p75NTR in subplate growth cone complexity and visual thalamocortical innervation. J. Neurosci. 22, 3580–3593 (2002).
Acknowledgements
We thank J. Kelley, R. Urban and M. Weiss for help and members of the laboratory for comments. Supported by the National Eye Institute.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing financial interests.
Supplementary information
Supplementary Fig. 1
Expansion of the tracing of DiI labeling in cortex shown in Figure 3b. (PDF 30 kb)
Supplementary Video 1
Stimulation of the LGN elicits network activity in V1. ΔF/F movie, frame rate is 6.6 Hz. At the end of frame 1, a stimulus was applied (110 μAmps, 40 Hz). Note how several neurons display time-locked calcium transients (increases in white level). (MOV 288 kb)
Supplementary Video 2
Both triggered and spontaneous events are shown side by side and progress at the same rate (each frame: 300 ms). Filled contours indicate active neurons. At the end of frame 2, a stimulus was applied (110 μAmps, 40 Hz). Note how several neurons display lockstep activations between both events. (AVI 754 kb)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
MacLean, J., Fenstermaker, V., Watson, B. et al. A visual thalamocortical slice. Nat Methods 3, 129–134 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmeth849
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nmeth849