Cell-type-specific and projection-specific brain-wide reconstruction of single neurons

Nat Methods. 2018 Dec;15(12):1033-1036. doi: 10.1038/s41592-018-0184-y. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Abstract

We developed a dual-adeno-associated-virus expression system that enables strong and sparse labeling of individual neurons with cell-type and projection specificity. We demonstrated its utility for whole-brain reconstruction of midbrain dopamine neurons and striatum-projecting cortical neurons. We further extended the labeling method for rapid reconstruction in cleared thick brain sections and simultaneous dual-color labeling. This labeling system may facilitate the process of generating mesoscale single-neuron projectomes of mammalian brains.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / cytology*
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Brain / virology
  • Brain Mapping / methods*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cerebral Cortex / cytology*
  • Cerebral Cortex / metabolism
  • Dependovirus / genetics
  • Dopaminergic Neurons / cytology*
  • Dopaminergic Neurons / metabolism
  • Gene Transfer Techniques
  • Genetic Vectors / administration & dosage
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Neural Pathways*