title: Imaging nervous system activity.
abstract: Optical imaging methods rely upon visualization of three types of signals: (1) intrinsic optical signals, including light scattering and reflectance, birefringence, and spectroscopic changes of intrinsic molecules, such as NADH or oxyhemoglobin; (2) changes in fluorescence or absorbance of voltage-sensitive membrane dyes; and (3) changes in fluorescence or absorbance of calcium-sensitive indicator dyes. Of these, the most widely used approach is fluorescent microscopy of calcium-sensitive dyes. This unit describes protocols for the use of calcium-sensitive dyes and voltage-dependent dyes for studies of neuronal activity in culture, tissue slices, and en-bloc preparations of the central nervous system.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Fields
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: O'Donovan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D009420:Nervous System / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes