title: Combined retrograde and anterograde tracing of neuronal connections: Fluoro-Gold and autoradiography.
abstract: We have combined the retrograde Fluoro-Gold (FG) and anterograde autoradiographic (AR) procedures to yield a sensitive high resolution technique by which afferent and efferent connections can be visualized from a single intracerebral injection site. Combined FG/AR sections show excellent results, with no apparent loss of signal compared to performing either procedure alone. Since the FG label is intense, the two labels may be viewed simultaneously by superimposing low level darkfield illumination from below the specimen with fluorescence illumination from above. This combined procedure is useful in the analysis of reciprocal connections involving small spatial domains, such as patchy corticocortical connections. Due to the high signal to noise ratio of both labels, this material is ideally suited for quantitative assessment using automated image analysis.
mesh_terms: D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography / Q000379:methods; D001370:Axonal Transport; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000166:cytology; D006224:Cricetinae; D004525:Efferent Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007930:Leucine / Q000378:metabolism; D008647:Mesocricetus; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D013266:Stilbamidines; D014316:Tritium
chemical_list: C049774:2-hydroxy-4,4'-diamidinostilbene, methanesulfonate salt; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D013266:Stilbamidines; D014316:Tritium; D007930:Leucine