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Comparison of GCaMP3 and GCaMP6f for studying astrocyte Ca2+ dynamics in the awake mouse brain.
- Source :
- PLoS ONE; 7/24/2017, Vol. 12 Issue 7, p1-17, 17p
- Publication Year :
- 2017
-
Abstract
- In recent years it has become increasingly clear that astrocytes play a much more active role in neural processes than the traditional view of them as supporting cells suggests. Although not electrically excitable, astrocytes exhibit diverse Ca<superscript>2+</superscript> dynamics across spatial and temporal scales, more or less dependent on the animal's behavioral state. Ca<superscript>2+</superscript> dynamics range from global elevations lasting multiple seconds encompassing the soma up to the finest processes, to short elevations restricted to so-called microdomains within fine processes. Investigations of astrocyte Ca<superscript>2+</superscript> dynamics have particularly benefitted from the development of Genetically-Encoded Calcium Indicators (GECIs). GECI expression can be achieved non-invasively in a cell type-specific manner and it can be genetically targeted to subcellular domains. The GCaMP family, a group of GECIs derived from the green fluorescent protein, has experienced some of the fastest advancements during the past decade. As a consequence we are now facing the challenge of needing to compare published data obtained with different versions of GECIs. With the intention to provide some guidance, here we compared Ca<superscript>2+</superscript> dynamics across scales in awake transgenic mice expressing either the well-established GCaMP3, or the increasingly popular GCaMP6f, specifically in astrocytes. We found that locomotion-induced global Ca<superscript>2+</superscript> elevations in cortical astrocytes displayed only minor kinetic differences and their apparent dynamic ranges for Ca<superscript>2+</superscript> sensing were not different. In contrast, Ca<superscript>2+</superscript> waves in processes and microdomain Ca<superscript>2+</superscript> transients were much more readily detectable with GCaMP6f. Our findings suggest that behavioral state-dependent global astrocyte Ca<superscript>2+</superscript> responses can be studied with either GCaMP3 or GCaMP6f whereas the latter is more appropriate for studies of spatially restricted weak and fast Ca<superscript>2+</superscript> dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- BRAIN physiology
ASTROCYTES
CALCIUM ions
GREEN fluorescent protein
LABORATORY mice
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 19326203
- Volume :
- 12
- Issue :
- 7
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- PLoS ONE
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 124275188
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0181113