National Institutes of Natural Sciences (Japan) View Institution's Website 7 articles published in JoVE Neuroscience Evaluation and Manipulation of Neural Activity Using Two-Photon Holographic Microscopy Daisuke Kato1,2, Xiangyu Quan3, Yuta Tanisumi1,2, Zhongtian Guo1,2, Mitsuhiro Morita4, Tetsuya Takiguchi5, Osamu Matoba6, Hiroaki Wake1,2,6 1Department of Anatomy and Molecular Cell Biology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 2Division of Multicellular Circuit Dynamics, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 3Department of System Science, Kobe University Graduate School of System Informatics, 4Department of Biology, Graduate School of Sciences, Kobe University, 5Department of Information Science, Kobe University Graduate School of System Informatics, 6Center of Optical Scattering Image Science, Kobe University We developed a two-photon holographic microscope that can visualize, assess, and manipulate neural activity using high spatiotemporal resolution, with the aim of elucidating the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders that are associated with abnormal neural activity. Developmental Biology Isolation of Murine Spermatogenic Cells using a Violet-Excited Cell-Permeable DNA Binding Dye Yu-Han Yeh*1,2, Mengwen Hu*1,2, Toshinori Nakagawa3,4, Akihiko Sakashita1,2, Shosei Yoshida3,4, So Maezawa5,6, Satoshi H. Namekawa1,2 1 Here we present a simple and efficient method to isolate live meiotic and post-meiotic germ cells from adult mouse testes. Using a low-cytotoxicity, violet-excited DNA binding dye and fluorescence-activated cell sorting, one can isolate highly enriched spermatogenic cell populations for many downstream applications. Neuroscience A Temperature Gradient Assay to Determine Thermal Preferences of Drosophila Larvae Jiangqu Liu*1, Takaaki Sokabe*2,3, Craig Montell1 1Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, 2Division of Cell Signaling, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 3Thermal Biology Group, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems, National Institutes of Natural Sciences Here, we present a protocol to determine the preferred environmental temperature of Drosophila larvae using a continuous thermal gradient. Biochemistry Preparation of Giant Vesicles Encapsulating Microspheres by Centrifugation of a Water-in-oil Emulsion Yuno Natsume1, Hsin-i Wen2, Tong Zhu2, Kazumi Itoh1, Li Sheng2, Kensuke Kurihara2,3,4 1 Giant vesicles containing highly packed micrometer-sized components are useful cell models. The water-in-oil emulsion centrifugation method is a simple, powerful tool for the preparation of giant vesicles with encapsulated materials. Behavior Contextual and Cued Fear Conditioning Test Using a Video Analyzing System in Mice Hirotaka Shoji1,2, Keizo Takao2,3, Satoko Hattori1,2, Tsuyoshi Miyakawa1,2,3 1Division of Systems Medical Science, Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, 2Japan Science and Technology Agency, Core Research for Evolutionary Science and Technology (CREST), 3Center for Genetic Analysis of Behavior, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences This article presents a protocol for a contextual and cued fear conditioning test using a video analyzing system to assess fear learning and memory in mice. Neuroscience T-maze Forced Alternation and Left-right Discrimination Tasks for Assessing Working and Reference Memory in Mice Hirotaka Shoji1,2, Hideo Hagihara1, Keizo Takao3, Satoko Hattori1,2,3, Tsuyoshi Miyakawa1,2,3 1Division of Systems Medical Science, Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, 2Japan Science and Technology Agency, Core Research for Evolutionary Science and Technology (CREST), 3Center for Genetic Analysis of Behavior, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences This article presents the protocol of T-maze tests using a modified automated apparatus for assessing the learning and memory functions in mice. Biology Dissection of Hippocampal Dentate Gyrus from Adult Mouse Hideo Hagihara1,2, Keiko Toyama1,2, Nobuyuki Yamasaki1,3, Tsuyoshi Miyakawa1,2,4,5 1Japan Science and Technology Agency, Core Research for Evolutionary Science and Technology (CREST), 2Division of Systems Medical Science, Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, 3Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 4Genetic Engineering and Functional Genomics Group, Horizontal Medical Research Organization, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 5Center for Genetic Analysis of Behavior, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences A dissection technique for removal of the dentate gyrus from adult mouse under a stereomicroscope was demonstrated in this video-recorded protocol.