Neural Tracer Microinjection
Neural Tracer Microinjection - Related Videos
14:06
Preparation of an Awake Mouse for Recording Neural Responses and Injecting Tracers
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Cited by 26 •
2012
Electrophysiological characterization of neuronal responses is important for understanding brain function and for guiding the placement of dyes for pathway tracing. However, many studies are performed in anesthetized animals. To understand brain function without anesthetics, we developed a method to record neuronal response properties and inject dyes in awake mouse.
11:29
Technique to Target Microinjection to the Developing Xenopus Kidney
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Cited by 17 •
2016
Here, we present a protocol to use fate maps and lineage tracers to target injections into individual blastomeres that give rise to the kidney of Xenopus laevis embryos.
03:10
Microinjection of Bacteria into the Caudal Vein of Zebrafish Embryos
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2026
Source: Shi, J., et al., Screening and Identification of RNA Silencing Suppressors from Secreted Effectors of Plant Pathogens. J. Vis. Exp. (2020)This video demonstrates the procedure for preparing an Agrobacterium tumefaciens culture by inducing virulence gene expression with acetosyringone, followed by antibiotic removal through washing and resuspension, to generate a transformation-ready suspension for gene delivery into plant tissues.
09:11
Revealing Neural Circuit Topography in Multi-Color
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Cited by 6 •
2011
We provide a practical guide for delivering tracers in vivo and use the spinocerebellar pathway as a model system to demonstrate essential steps for successful neuronal circuit analysis in mice. We describe in detail our versatile tracing protocol that exploits wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) conjugated to Alexa fluorophores.
08:12
Zebrafish Microinjection Techniques
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2023
One of the major advantages to working with zebrafish (Danio rerio) is that their genetics can be easily manipulated by microinjection of early stage embryos. Using this technique, solutions containing genetic material or knockdown constructs are delivered into the blastomeres: the embryonic cells sitting atop the yolk of the newly fertilized egg. Delivery into the cytoplasm is achieved either through direct injection into the blastomere, or via natural cytoplasmic movements that occur after a...
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After delivery, the labeled substance is taken up by nerve terminals or neuronal cell bodies. It then travels along axons, carrying an anatomical signal away from or toward the injection site depending on the transport direction. Microscopic examination of the resulting distribution shows which regions are connected and identifies potential projection targets within the circuit.
Anterograde transport follows movement from the labeled neuronal source toward its axonal projections, whereas retrograde transport moves from labeled nerve terminals toward the cell bodies that supply them. Comparing these directions helps researchers distinguish the origin of a pathway from its destinations, clarifying how neurons and brain structures are organized into connected circuits.
Stereotaxic guidance supports placement of the injection into a precise neural region rather than relying on visual estimation alone. Accurate localization is essential because the labeled distribution is interpreted in relation to the injection site. A well-positioned delivery therefore improves the ability to associate observed projections with a particular brain structure or neuronal population.
The workflow includes delivering the labeled substance into the selected neural region, allowing it to be taken up and transported, processing the tissue, and examining sections with microscopy. Investigators then map the tracer’s distribution and relate labeled cell bodies or projection fields to known brain structures. This produces anatomical evidence about pathway organization.
This approach can map projection pathways, identify neuronal targets, and examine the organization of neural circuits. Its applications include studies of brain connectivity, sensory systems, motor systems, neurodevelopment, and circuit changes associated with disease. Because it reveals anatomical relationships, it is useful when researchers need to determine where neurons connect within a broader neural network.
Tracer analysis provides anatomical evidence by showing the locations and routes of neuronal connections. Electrophysiological and functional approaches instead contribute information about neural activity or operation. Using these forms of evidence together can relate circuit structure to function, helping investigators interpret whether observed activity patterns occur within pathways that are anatomically connected.