Name: Assaying Circuit Specific Regulation of Adult Hippocampal Neural Precursor Cells (Video) | JoVE Journal
Uploaded: 2019-07-24T12:30:00.000+00:00
Duration: 8 min 52 s
Description: Learn chemogenetic manipulation of neural circuits to study adult hippocampal neurogenesis using tissue immunohistochemistry. This method reveals how circuit activity regulates neural stem cell proliferation.

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5 minutes

L.J.Q. was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health under Diversity Supplement R01MH111773 as well as a T32 training grant T32NS007431-20. This project was supported from grants awarded to J.S. from NIH (MH111773, AG058160, and NS104530).

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<li>Ansorg, A., Bornkessel, K., Witte, O. W., Urbach, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Immunohistochemistry+and+Multiple+Labeling+with+Antibodies+from+the+Same+Host+Species+to+Study+Adult+Hippocampal+Neurogenesis%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Journal+of+Visualized+Experiments%22%5BJournal%5D)">Immunohistochemistry and Multiple Labeling with Antibodies from the Same Host Species to Study Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis.</a> Journal of Visualized Experiments. (98), 1-13 (2015).</li>
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<li>Taupin, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((BrdU+immunohistochemistry+for+studying+adult+neurogenesis%3A+Paradigms%2C+pitfalls%2C+limitations%2C+and+validation%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Brain+Research+Reviews%22%5BJournal%5D)">BrdU immunohistochemistry for studying adult neurogenesis: Paradigms, pitfalls, limitations, and validation.</a> Brain Research Reviews. 53 (1), 198-214 (2007).</li>
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<li>Armbruster, B. N., Li, X., Pausch, M. H., Herlitze, S., Roth, B. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Evolving+the+lock+to+fit+the+key+to+create+a+family+of+G+protein-coupled+receptors+potently+activated+by+an+inert+ligand%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Proceedings+of+the+National+Academy+of+Sciences%22%5BJournal%5D)">Evolving the lock to fit the key to create a family of G protein-coupled receptors potently activated by an inert ligand.</a> Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 104 (12), 5163-5168 (2007).</li>
<li>Sidor, M. M., Davidson, T. J., Tye, K. M., Warden, M. R., Diesseroth, K., Mcclung, C. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((In+vivo+Optogenetic+Stimulation+of+the+Rodent+Central+Nervous+System%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22J+Vis+Exp%22%5BJournal%5D)">In vivo Optogenetic Stimulation of the Rodent Central Nervous System.</a> J Vis Exp. , (2015).</li>
<li>Yizhar, O., Fenno, L. E., Davidson, T. J., Mogri, M., Deisseroth, K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Primer+Optogenetics+in+Neural+Systems%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Neuron%22%5BJournal%5D)">Primer Optogenetics in Neural Systems.</a> Neuron. 71 (1), 9-34 (2011).</li>
<li>Yeh, C., Asrican, B., Moss, J., Lu, W., Toni, N., Song, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Mossy+Cells+Control+Adult+Neural+Stem+Cell+Quiescence+and+Maintenance+through+a+Dynamic+Balance+between+Direct+and+Indirect+Pathways%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Neuron%22%5BJournal%5D)">Mossy Cells Control Adult Neural Stem Cell Quiescence and Maintenance through a Dynamic Balance between Direct and Indirect Pathways.</a> Neuron. , 1-18 (2018).</li>
<li>Geiger, B. M., Frank, L. E., Caldera-Siu, A. D., Pothos, E. N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Survivable+Stereotaxic+Surgery+in+Rodents%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Journal+of+Visualized+Experiments%22%5BJournal%5D)">Survivable Stereotaxic Surgery in Rodents.</a> Journal of Visualized Experiments. (20), 20-22 (2008).</li>
<li>Roth, B. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Primer+DREADDs+for+Neuroscientists%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Neuron%22%5BJournal%5D)">Primer DREADDs for Neuroscientists.</a> Neuron. 89 (4), 683-694 (2016).</li>
<li>Zeng, C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Evaluation+of+5-ethynyl-2+%E2%80%B2+-deoxyuridine+staining+as+a+sensitive+and+reliable+method+for+studying+cell+proliferation+in+the+adult+nervous+system%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Brain+Research%22%5BJournal%5D)">Evaluation of 5-ethynyl-2 ′ -deoxyuridine staining as a sensitive and reliable method for studying cell proliferation in the adult nervous system.</a> Brain Research. 1319, 21-32 (2010).</li>
<li>Gage, G. J., Kipke, D. R., Shain, W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Whole+Animal+Perfusion+Fixation+for+Rodents%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Journal+of+Visualized+Experiments%22%5BJournal%5D)">Whole Animal Perfusion Fixation for Rodents.</a> Journal of Visualized Experiments. (65), 1-9 (2012).</li>
<li>Hussaini, S. M. Q., Jun, H., Cho, C. H., Kim, H. J., Kim, W. R., Jang, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Heat-induced+antigen+retrieval%3A+an+effective+method+to+detect+and+identify+progenitor+cell+types+during+adult+hippocampal+neurogenesis%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22J+Vis+Exp%22%5BJournal%5D)">Heat-induced antigen retrieval: an effective method to detect and identify progenitor cell types during adult hippocampal neurogenesis.</a> J Vis Exp. , (2013).</li>
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<li>Kuhn, H., Dickinson-Anson, H., Gage, F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Neurogenesis+in+the+dentate+gyrus+of+the+adult+rat%3A+age-related+decrease+of+neuronal+progenitor+proliferation%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22The+Journal+of+Neuroscience%22%5BJournal%5D)">Neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of the adult rat: age-related decrease of neuronal progenitor proliferation.</a> The Journal of Neuroscience. 16 (6), 2027-2033 (1996).</li>
<li>Gomez, J. L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Chemogenetics+revealed%3A+DREADD+occupancy+and+activation+via+converted+clozapine%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Science%22%5BJournal%5D)">Chemogenetics revealed: DREADD occupancy and activation via converted clozapine.</a> Science. 357 (6350), 503-507 (2017).</li>
<li>Thompson, K. J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Dreadd+Agonist+21+%28C21%29+Is+an+Effective+Agonist+for+Muscarnic-Based+Dreadds+in+Vitro+and+in+Vivo%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22ACS+Pharmacology+%26+Translational+Science%22%5BJournal%5D)">Dreadd Agonist 21 (C21) Is an Effective Agonist for Muscarnic-Based Dreadds in Vitro and in Vivo.</a> ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science. 72 (3), (2018).</li>
</ol>

The authors have nothing to disclose.

The goal of this protocol is to assess how manipulating specific neural circuits regulates adult hippocampal neurogenesis in vivo using a series of immunohistochemistry techniques. Assaying activity dependent regulation of adult neurogenesis mediated by specific neural circuits is a valuable technique with great potential for modifications to study a diverse range of neural circuits. The success of these types of experiments depends on multiple factors including accurate viral delivery, proper viral selection for the des...

Adult neurogenesis is a biological process by which new neurons are born in an adult and integrated into the existing neural networks1. In humans, this process occurs in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus, where about 1,400 new cells are born each day2. These cells reside in the inner part of the DG, which harbors a neurogenic niche, termed the subgranular zone (SGZ). Here, hippocampal adult neural stem cells (NSCs) undergo a complex developmental process to become fully functional neurons that contribute to the regulation of specific brain functions, including learning and memory, mood regulation, and stress response3,4,5,6. To influence behaviors, adult NSCs are highly regulated by various external stimuli in an activity dependent manner by responding to an array of local and distal chemical cues. These chemical cues include neurotransmitters and neuromodulators and act in a circuit specific manner from various brain regions. Importantly, circuit wide convergence of these chemical cues on NSCs allows for unique and precise regulation of stem cell activation, differentiation, and fate decisions.
One of the most effective ways to interrogate circuit regulation of adult NSCs in vivo is by pairing immunofluorescence analysis with circuit wide manipulations. Immunofluorescence analysis of adult NSCs is a commonly utilized technique, where antibodies against specific molecular markers are used to indicate the developmental stage of adult NSCs. These markers include: nestin as a radial glia cell and early neural progenitor marker, Tbr2 as an intermediate progenitor marker, and dcx as a neuroblast and immature neuron marker7. Additionally, by administering thymidine analogs such as BrdU, CidU, Idu, and Edu, cell populations undergoing S phase can be individually labeled and visualized8,9,10. By combining these two approaches, a wide range of questions can be investigated ranging from how proliferation is regulated at specific developmental stages, to how various cues affect NSC differentiation and neurogenesis.
Several options exist to effectively manipulate neural circuits including electrical stimulation, optogenetics, and chemogenetics, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Electrical stimulation involves an extensive surgery where electrodes are implanted to a specific brain region which are later used to transmit electrical signals to modulate a targeted brain region. However, this approach lacks both cellular and circuit specificity. Optogenetics involves the delivery of viral particles that encode a light activated receptor that is stimulated by a laser emitted through an implanted optical fiber, but requires extensive manipulations, large cost, and complex surgeries11. Chemogenetics involves the delivery of viral particles that encode a designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drugs or DREADDs, which are subsequently activated by a specific and biologically inert ligand known as clozapine N-oxide (CNO)12. The advantage of utilizing DREADDs to manipulate local neural circuits that regulate adult NSCs lies in the ease and various routes of CNO administration. This allows for a less time-consuming approach with reduced animal handling, which is easily adaptable for long term studies to modulate neural circuits.
The approach described in this protocol is a comprehensive collection of various protocols required to successfully interrogate circuit regulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis that combines both immunofluorescence techniques and circuit manipulations using chemogenetics. The method described in the following protocol is appropriate for stimulating or inhibiting one or multiple circuits simultaneously in vivo to determine their regulatory function on adult neurogenesis. This approach is best used if the question does not need a high degree of temporal resolution. Questions requiring precise temporal control of stimulation/inhibition at a certain frequency, can be better addressed using optogenetics13,14. The approach described here is easily adapted for long term studies with minimal animal handling especially where stress is a major concern.

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assaying circuit specific regulation of adult hippocampal neural precursor cells

Assaying Circuit Specific Regulation of Adult Hippocampal Neural Precursor Cells

Adult neurogenesis is a dynamic process by which newly activated neural stem cells (NSCs) in the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus (DG) generate new neurons, which integrate into an existing neural circuit and contribute to specific hippocampal functions. Importantly, adult neurogenesis is highly susceptible to environmental stimuli, which allows for activity-dependent regulation of various cognitive functions. A vast range of neural circuits from various brain regions orchestrates these complex cognitive functions. It is therefore important to understand how specific neural circuits regulate adult neurogenesis. Here, we describe a protocol to manipulate neural circuit activity using designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) technology that regulates NSCs and newborn progeny in rodents. This comprehensive protocol includes stereotaxic injection of viral particles, chemogenetic stimulation of specific neural circuits, thymidine analog administration, tissue processing, immunofluorescence labeling, confocal imaging, and imaging analysis of various stages of neural precursor cells. This protocol provides detailed instructions on antigen retrieval techniques used to visualize NSCs and their progeny and describes a simple, yet effective way to modulate brain circuits using clozapine N-oxide (CNO) or CNO-containing drinking water and DREADDs-expressing viruses. The strength of this protocol lies in its adaptability to study a diverse range of neural circuits that influence adult neurogenesis derived from NSCs.

Following the experimental procedures described above (Figure 1A,B), we were able to determine the effects of stimulating contralateral mossy cell projections on the neurogenic niche within the hippocampus. By utilizing a Cre-dependent Gq-coupled stimulating DREADD virus paired with a mossy cell labeling 5-HT2A Cre-line, we were able to selectively activate excitatory projections from mossy cells onto the contralateral DG and determined that strong mossy cell stimulation pro...

The goal of this protocol is to describe an approach for analyzing behavior of adult neural stem/progenitor cells in response to chemogenetic manipulation of a specific local neural circuit.

Adult neurogenesis is a dynamic process by which newly activated neural stem cells (NSCs) in the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus (DG) generate ...

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Research

JoVE Journal

Neuroscience

Neural stem cells were prepared from the hippocampus of adult non-hibernating yearling Arctic ground squirrels (AGS). These neural stem cells can be expanded through numerous passages, differentiated and maintained as a nearly 50:50 neuron to glial culture.

Growth and Differentiation of Adult Hippocampal Arctic Ground Squirrel Neural Stem Cells

This video demonstrates the procedure for staining newly proliferated neural stem cells in brain tissue sections using EdU incorporation, followed by immunofluorescence to visualize specific proteins, enhancing the understanding of cell dynamics and proliferation.

Immunofluorescence Staining for Visualizing Proliferated Neural Stem Cells in Mouse Brain Sections

During adult hippocampal neurogenesis, a distinct set of genetic markers are expressed when a quiescent neural stem cell sequentially progresses and develops into a functionally integrated neuron in the circuit. Using heat-induced antigen retrieval, progenitor cell types that are otherwise difficult to detect are identified with improved effectiveness.

Heat-Induced Antigen Retrieval: An Effective Method to Detect and Identify Progenitor Cell Types during Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis

Here we describe a detailed protocol for the simultaneous generation of neural precursor cell cultures, as either adherent monolayers or neurospheres, from the subventricular zone and dentate gyrus of individual adult mice.

One Mouse, Two Cultures: Isolation and Culture of Adult Neural Stem Cells from the Two Neurogenic Zones of Individual Mice

Here we present a protocol providing a tool to examine regulatory mechanisms of specific genes during hippocampal development. Employing ex utero electroporation and organotypic slice culture allows the up- and down-regulation of the expression of genes of interest in single cells and follow their fate during development.

Ex Utero Electroporation and Organotypic Slice Culture of Mouse Hippocampal Tissue

This video article illustrates a comprehensive protocol to detect and quantify all stages of adult hippocampal neurogenesis within the same tissue section. We elaborated a method to overcome the limitations of indirect multiple immunofluorescence that arise when suitable antibodies from different host species are unavailable.

Immunohistochemistry and Multiple Labeling with Antibodies from the Same Host Species to Study Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis

We report a Fluorescent Activated Cell Sorting (FACS)-based method to isolate neural stem cells (NSCs) and their progeny from the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the adult mouse brain. Applied to Fluorescence Ubiquitination Cell Cycle Indicator (FUCCI) transgenic mice, it allows the study of cell cycle progression by live imaging.

Cell Sorting of Neural Stem and Progenitor Cells from the Adult Mouse Subventricular Zone and Live-imaging of their Cell Cycle Dynamics

The canine brain is a valuable model in which to study adult neurogenesis. Presented here are protocols for isolating and expanding adult canine hippocampal neural precursor cells from primary brain tissue.

Isolation and Expansion of Adult Canine Hippocampal Neural Precursors

Cryo-section-dissection allows fresh, frozen preparation of the largest neurogenic niche in the murine brain for deep quantitative proteome analysis. The method is precise, efficient, and causes minimal tissue perturbation. Therefore, it is ideally suited for studying the molecular microenvironment of this niche, as well as other organs, regions, and species.

Cryo-section Dissection of the Adult Subependymal Zone for Accurate and Deep Quantitative Proteome Analysis

Presented here is a method to sequence single nuclei isolated from the mouse dentate gyrus that excludes most neurons through fluorescence-activated nuclei (FAN)-sorting. This approach generates high-quality expression profiles and facilitates the study of most other cell types represented in the niche, including scarce populations such as neural stem cells.

Fluorescence-Activated Nuclei Negative Sorting of Neurons Combined with Single Nuclei RNA Sequencing to Study the Hippocampal Neurogenic Niche

Here, we describe a protocol for engineering chemically reprogrammed stem cells to achieve precise neuronal modulation by differentiating these cells into dopaminergic precursor cells, transplanting them into mouse models of Parkinson's disease, and evaluating behavioral and electrophysiological outcomes to confirm the successful integration and functional effectiveness of the transplanted cells.

Chemogenetic Regulation in Reprogrammed Stem Cell-derived Precursor Cells in Treating Neurodegenerative Diseases

Learn chemogenetic manipulation of neural circuits to study adult hippocampal neurogenesis using tissue immunohistochemistry. This method reveals how circuit activity regulates neural stem cell proliferation.

Assaying Circuit Specific Regulation of Adult Hippocampal Neural Precursor Cells

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