Imaging Neuronal Activity with Genetically-Encoded Voltage Indicators

Research Seminar
Title: Imaging Neuronal Activity with Genetically-Encoded Voltage Indicators
Speaker: Bradley Baker,Ph.D.
Primary Investigator,Principal Scientist
World Class Institute, Center for Functional Connectomics
Korea Institute of Science and Technology
Time: 13:00-14:30, Mar.  7, 2017
Location: Youcai Deng Hall，School of Life Sciences（生科院邓祐才报告厅）
Host: Journal Club (生科挑战班)
Abstract:
Genetically-Encoded Voltage Indicators (GEVIs) are becoming useful probes for studying neuronal activities at the cellular and neuronal circuit levels in culture, brain slice, and in vivo. There now exist several different types of GEVIs with different mechanisms for optically reporting changes in membrane potential.  In this seminar, I will present the advantages and disadvantages of the differing GEVIs and compare that information to what is observed with calcium indicators. Imaging membrane potential requires fast probes with large voltage responses and good membrane expression. The voltage range of the optical response of a GEVI is also an important characteristic to consider when choosing the right probe for the question being addressed. With the combination of these parameters contributing to the overall effectiveness of the GEVI, I will also present how we are trying to improve these sensors which has resulted in two surprising observations. The first is that it is possible to simultaneously observe the differing buffering characteristics of a neuron during the firing of action potentials. The second is that whole cell patch-clamp can affect the membrane potential of internal membranes like the Endoplasmic Reticulum.
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