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Molecular tools for imaging and recording neuronal activity

Abstract

To understand how the brain relates to behavior, it is essential to record neural activity in awake, behaving animals. To achieve this goal, a large variety of genetically encoded sensors have been developed to monitor and record the series of events following neuronal firing, including action potentials, intracellular calcium rise, neurotransmitter release and immediate early gene expression. In this Review, we discuss the existing genetically encoded tools for detecting and integrating neuronal activity in animals and highlight the remaining challenges and future opportunities for molecular biologists.

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Fig. 1: Schematic of molecular processes underlying neuronal activation.
Fig. 2: Existing genetically encoded voltage indicator (GEVI) designs.
Fig. 3: Chronic cellular-resolution calcium imaging in freely-moving mice.
Fig. 4: Whole-brain cellular-resolution calcium imaging in a larval zebrafish.
Fig. 5: Schematics of genetically encoded pH and neurotransmitter indicators.
Fig. 6: IEG-based transcriptional reporters of activated neurons.
Fig. 7: Ca2+- and light-gated transcriptional reporters of activated neurons.

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Wang, W., Kim, C.K. & Ting, A.Y. Molecular tools for imaging and recording neuronal activity. Nat Chem Biol 15, 101–110 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41589-018-0207-0

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