title: Live Imaging of Planarian Membrane Potential Using DiBAC4(3).
abstract: INTRODUCTIONThis protocol describes how to use the anionic membrane voltage-reporting dye DiBAC(4)(3) to generate images of cell membrane potential in live planarians. These images qualitatively reveal variations in time-averaged membrane potential across different regions of the organism. Changes in these images due to experimental treatments reveal how the particular treatment affects this physiological parameter. This method is a great improvement over standard electrophysiological techniques, which cannot be used to gain an understanding of the electrical properties of an entire worm or a regenerating fragment, due to small cell size and large cell number. When the proper controls are performed, this technique is a very powerful and simple way to gather physiologic data.
authors.affiliation: Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology, Forsyth Institute and Developmental Biology Department, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Néstor J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Oviedo
authors.forename: Cindy L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Nicolas
authors.forename: Dany S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Levin