Abdelfattah, A.S. et al. Science 365, 699–704 (2019)
Genetically encoded voltage indicators, or GEVIs, are a means to image fast neuronal activity in the brain. As different neurons fire, voltage-sensitive dyes detect that change and light up in response. These have been common for some time, but many can leave a little resolution to be desired. A new tool, dubbed ‘Voltron’ by its creators at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, adds additional detail.
Voltron pairs a protein genetically encoded in individual neurons in vivo with a synthetic dye that is brighter and lasts longer than other fluorescent protein-based GEVIs. Writing in Science, the team demonstrates Voltron at work in real time in mice, larval zebrafish, and Drosophila. The tool is currently compatible with conventional and light-sheet microscopes.
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Neff, E.P. Voltron lights up neurons. Lab Anim 48, 298 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41684-019-0409-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41684-019-0409-4