What are 2 methods of visualizing neurons?
Describe how the golgi stain method allows us to visualize neurons.
Describe how fluorescent dyes are used to visualize neurons.
What is the drawback of using golgi staining and fluorescent dyes to visualize neurons?
neurons have to be traced out either manually or with software
anterograde vs retrograde tracing neural connections. what kind of tracers are used?
anterograde:
- carry dyes through axons to be visualized
- tracers: dyes, viruses (AAVs)
retrograde:
- dye travels from AXON BACKWARD TO CELL BODY
- tracers: cholera toxin, fast blue, AAVs, rabies
What are 4 neuron stimulation techniques?
How do neuron stimulation techniques allow us to visualize neural connectivity?
Which neuron stimulation technique is the oldest?
electrical stimulation
Describe how to set up electrical stimulation technique.
pros of electrical stimulation
cons of electrical stimulation
Describe how to set up optogenetic stimulation.
pros of optogenetic stimulation
cons of optogenetic stimulation
Describe how to set up chemogenetic stimulation.
pros of chemogenetic stimulation
cons of chemogenetic stimulation
no precise control over timing of activation
Describe the setup of paired patch clamp recording
2 single neurons are recorded using INTRACELLULAR techniques (so that they can be depolarized with current injection)
pros of paired patch clamp recording
definitive test of connectivity between neurons in the brain
(i.e. ONLY TRUE WAY TO TEST CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN NEURONS)
cons of paired patch clamp recording
TRUE or FALSE: patch clamp recording can be used to test long connections between neurons
FALSE: only useful for testing CLOSE connections
Which neuron stimulation technique is the only true way to test connectivity between neurons?
paired patch clamp recordings
What is the basic connectivity rule within a brain region?
cells close to each other are more likely to connect to each other
What is the basic connectivity rule between brain regions?
no/weak relation between distance and connectivity