Physiological recordings from zebrafish lateral-line hair cells and afferent neurons.
Sensory signal transduction, the process by which the features of external stimuli are encoded into action potentials, is a complex process that is not fully understood. In fish and amphibia, the lateral-line organ detects water movement and vibration and is critical for schooling behavior and the detection of predators and prey. The lateral-line system in zebrafish serves as an ideal platform to examine encoding of stimuli by sensory hair cells. Here, we describe methods for recording hair-cell microphonics and activity of afferent neurons using intact zebrafish larvae. The recordings are performed by immobilizing and mounting larvae for optimal stimulation of lateral-line hair cells. Hair cells are stimulated with a pressure-controlled water jet and a recording electrode is positioned next to the site of mechanotransduction in order to record microphonics--extracellular voltage changes due to currents through hair-cell mechanotransduction channels. Another readout of the hair-cell activity is obtained by recording action currents from single afferent neurons in response to water-jet stimulation of innervated hair cells. When combined, these techniques make it possible to probe the function of the lateral-line sensory system in an intact zebrafish using controlled, repeatable, physiological stimuli.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Oregon Hearing Research Center and Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA.
Josef G
JG
Trapani
Teresa
T
Nicolson
D000818:Animals; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000379:methods*; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D053403:Lateral Line System / Q000166:cytology*; D008465:Mechanoreceptors / Q000502:physiology; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015027:Zebrafish