Science Digest Talk: Dr. Kevin Dorgans on "In vitro imaging of subthreshold voltage oscillation in the inferior olive"

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Voltage imaging with cellular resolution in mammalian brain slices is still a challenging task. Here, we describe and validate a method for delivery of the voltage-sensitive dye ANNINE-6plus (A6+) into tissue for voltage imaging that results in higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) than conventional bath application methods. The not fully dissolved dye was injected into the inferior olive (IO) 0, 1, or 7 days prior to acute slice preparation using stereotactic surgery. We find that the voltage imaging improves after an extended incubation period in vivo in terms of homogeneity of labeling and SNR. Preparing acute slices 7 days after the dye injection, the SNR is high enough to allow single-trial recording of IO subthreshold oscillations using wide-field (network-level) as well as high-magnification (single-cell level) voltage imaging with a CMOS camera. Additionally, A6+ allows monitoring subthreshold voltage activity from as small as 1.2 x 1.2 um2. This method is easily adaptable to other brain regions where genetically-encoded voltage sensors are prohibitively difficult to use and where an ultrafast, pure electrochromic sensor, like A6+, is required. Due to the long-lasting staining demonstrated here, the method can be combined, for example, with deep-brain imaging using implantable GRIN lenses.

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Zoom access: https://oist.zoom.us/j/96733829818?pwd=VDdpY3dJcHdRTXhWZTVFQ2xmc1Y5Zz09