We will demonstrate how to prepare retinal slices from the mouse eye and record light responses in retinal neurons. The entire procedure is conducted in dark-adapted conditions.
La retina è la porta verso il sistema visivo. Per comprendere i meccanismi di elaborazione dei segnali visivi, indaghiamo funzioni di rete neurale della retina. I neuroni della retina nella rete comprendono numerosi sottotipi. Più di 10 sottotipi di cellule bipolari, cellule gangliari, e le cellule amacrine sono stati identificati da studi morfologici. Più sottotipi di neuroni della retina sono pensati per codificare le caratteristiche distinte di segnalazione visiva, come il movimento e il colore, e la forma più percorsi neurali. Tuttavia, i ruoli funzionali di ciascun neurone nel trattamento del segnale visivo non sono pienamente compresi. Il metodo di patch clamp è utile per affrontare questa questione fondamentale. Qui, un protocollo per registrare risposte sinaptiche luce evocati nel topo neuroni della retina con delle patch clamp registrazioni in condizioni di oscurità adattato è fornito. Gli occhi del mouse sono dark-adattato O / N e preparazioni fetta della retina vengono sezionati in una stanza buia con illuminazione ad infrarossi e gli spettatori. Luce infrarossa non lo faattivare fotorecettori mouse e conserva quindi la loro capacità di risposta luce. Patch clamp viene utilizzato per registrare le risposte luce evocata nei neuroni della retina. Un colorante fluorescente viene iniettato durante le registrazioni per caratterizzare sottotipi morfologiche neuronali. Questa procedura permette di determinare le funzioni fisiologiche di ogni neurone nella retina mouse.
The retina is one of the unique parts of the nervous system. As an accessible part of the brain, its synaptic architecture has been well characterized. In addition, the functions of this neural network can be examined with a physiological stimulus: light. If the retinal tissue is isolated in a dark room with appropriate procedures, neurons in the tissue will respond to light. This preparation has been used to study visual signal processing and elucidate various synaptic mechanisms and neural network functions, as well as disease mechanisms.
Light responses in retinal neurons have been recorded for decades. Early studies used sharp electrodes to make intracellular recordings from mudpuppy retinal neurons1. In the 1980s, the patch clamp technique was invented2, and soon became a popular method among vision researchers3,4. Single cell recordings from lower vertebrates, including mudpuppy and fish retinal neurons, were popular methods that contributed to the elucidation of visual signal processing mechanisms5,6.
After genetic mutation techniques were developed, the mouse retina became a more popular model for vision researchers7-9. The mammalian retina is more attractive than that of lower vertebrates because it is evolutionarily closer to the human retina, and there is an opportunity to use disease models. However, mouse retinal cells are small and fragile10, and making retinal preparations and conducting patch clamp recordings in a dark room is challenging. As technology has improved, diverse approaches have become available to study visual signaling mechanisms such as imaging studies11 and the electroretinogram (ERG)12. Nevertheless, single cell recording with the patch clamp method is still important because it is highly temporally and spatially sensitive compared to other methods. Therefore, we have continuously conducted patch clamp recordings and improved our methods to investigate visual signal processing in mouse retinal slice preparations13-15.
In this video tutorial, the protocols are presented with important tips. Good recordings can only be achieved with good preparation. Practicing animal dissection and building a sturdy patch clamp rig will enable most researchers to achieve successful recordings.
Good recordings can only be achieved with good retinal preparations and well-designed patch clamp setups. Although all the steps described above are important, the discussion highlights some critical steps both for the dissection and recordings.
For dissection, two things are especially important: cooling and oxygenation. After enucleating the eye, quickly remove the front part of the eye in a dissecting chamber with oxygen-bubbled, cooled dissecting solution, and pour cold solution into the …
The authors have nothing to disclose.
This work was supported by NIH R01 EY020533, WSU Startup Fund, and RPB grants.
Name of Material/ Equipment | Company | Catalog Number | Comments/Description |
mice (28-60 days old, male) | Jackson laboratory | C57BL/6J strain | |
Ames' medium powder | Sigma | A1420 | excellent |
Stereo microscope | Nikon | SMZ745 | excellent |
dissecting tool_forceps | Dumont | #4, #5, #55 | excellent |
dissecting tool_scissors | Roboz | RS-5605 | excellent |
dissecting tool_surgery knife | Surgistar | 7514 | excellent |
razor blade (for chopper) | EMS | 71970 | excellent |
chopper | handmade | ||
infrared viewer | Night Owl Optics | NOBG1 | It shows bright view. Focusing small objects is an issue. |
infrared pocket scopes | B.E. Meyers | OWL Gen 3 NV pocketscope | excellent view |
puller | Sutter | P-1000 | excellent. Make consistent size pipettes. |
dark box | Pelican | dark box | excellent |
patch clamp system | Scientifica | slice scope 2000 | Excellent setup. Most key components are included in one package. Micromanipulators are excellent. |
amplifier | Molecular Devices | multiclamp 700B | Excellent and easy control. |
acquiring software | Molecular Devices | pClamp software | Excellent and easy control. |
light source (LED) | Cool LED | pE-2 4 channel system | Excellent |
CCD camera | Q-imaging | Retiga 2000 | Excellent |
Faraday cage | handmade |