title: A 'tool box' for deciphering neuronal circuits in the developing chick spinal cord.
abstract: The genetic dissection of spinal circuits is an essential new means for understanding the neural basis of mammalian behavior. Molecular targeting of specific neuronal populations, a key instrument in the genetic dissection of neuronal circuits in the mouse model, is a complex and time-demanding process. Here we present a circuit-deciphering 'tool box' for fast, reliable and cheap genetic targeting of neuronal circuits in the developing spinal cord of the chick. We demonstrate targeting of motoneurons and spinal interneurons, mapping of axonal trajectories and synaptic targeting in both single and populations of spinal interneurons, and viral vector-mediated labeling of pre-motoneurons. We also demonstrate fluorescent imaging of the activity pattern of defined spinal neurons during rhythmic motor behavior, and assess the role of channel rhodopsin-targeted population of interneurons in rhythmic behavior using specific photoactivation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Neurobiology, IMRIC, Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Yoav
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hadas
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Neurobiology, IMRIC, Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Etlin
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Neurobiology, IMRIC, Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Haya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Falk
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Neurobiology, IMRIC, Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Oshri
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Avraham
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Oren
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kobiler
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, IMRIC, Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Amos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Panet
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Neurobiology, IMRIC, Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Aharon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lev-Tov
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Neurobiology, IMRIC, Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel avihu@cc.huji.ac.il.
authors.forename: Avihu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D002642:Chick Embryo; D063132:Connectome; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D019426:Integrases / Q000235:genetics; D007395:Interneurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D012243:Rhodopsin / Q000378:metabolism; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D012243:Rhodopsin; C045073:Cre recombinase; D019426:Integrases; D002118:Calcium