Work

Optical dissection of brain circuits with patterned illumination through the phase modulation of light

Year: 2014

Type: review

Abstract: Brain function relies on electrical signaling among ensembles of neurons. These signals are encoded in space - neurons are organized in complex three-dimensional networks - and in time-cells generate electrical signals on a millisecond scale. How the spatial and temporal structure of these signals controls higher brain functions is largely unknown. The recent advent of novel molecules that manipulate and monitor electrical activity in genetically identified cells provides, for the first time, the ability to causally test the contribution of specific cell subpopulations in these complex brain phenomena. However, most of the commonly used approaches are limited in their ability to illuminate brain tissue with high spatial and temporal precision. In this review article, we focus on one technique, patterned illumination through the phase modulation of light using liquid crystal spatial light modulators (LC-SLMs), which has the potential to overcome some of the major limitations of current experimental approaches.

Source: Journal of Neuroscience Methods

DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2014.12.002

Authors: Serena Bovetti, Tommaso Fellin

Institution: Italian Institute of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Advanced Fluorescence Microscopy Techniques

Subfield: Biophysics

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,900

Funders: Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia