title: Genetic targeting of specific neuronal cell types in the cerebral cortex.
abstract: Understanding the structure and function of cortical circuits requires the identification of and control over specific cell types in the cortex. To address these obstacles, recent optogenetic approaches have been developed. The capacity to activate, silence, or monitor specific cell types by combining genetics, virology, and optics will decipher the role of specific groups of neurons within circuits with a spatiotemporal resolution that overcomes standard approaches. In this review, the various strategies for selective genetic targeting of a defined neuronal population are discussed as well as the pros and cons of the use of transgenic animals and recombinant viral vectors for the expression of transgenes in a specific set of neurons.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Neurobiologie et Diversité Cellulaire, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7637, Ecole Supérieure de Physique et de Chimie Industrielles, Paris, France. alan.urban@espci.fr
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Urban
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rossier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D055355:Opsins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D055355:Opsins