Mapping of individual sensory nerve axons from digits to spinal cord with the Transparent Embedding Solvent System

Mapping Intimacies ◽

10.1101/2021.11.13.467610 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hu Zhao ◽

Woo-ping Ge

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Sensory Neurons ◽

Adult Mouse ◽

Sensory Nerve ◽

Solvent System ◽

Whole Body ◽

Efficient Tool ◽

Intact Mouse ◽

High Resolution Mapping ◽

Resolution Mapping

Understanding the connections and projections of neurons has been a fundamental issue for neuroscience. Although strategies have been developed to map the projection of individual axons within the mouse brain, high resolution mapping of individual peripheral nerve axons in peripheral organs or spinal cord has never been achieved. Here, we designed the Transparent Embedding Solvent System (TESOS) method and developed a technical pipeline for imaging, reconstructing and analyzing large samples containing various tissue types at sub-micron resolution. The mouse whole body was reconstructed at micron-scale resolution. We were able to image, reconstruct and analyze the complete axonal projection of individual sensory neurons within an intact mouse paw or spinal cord at sub-micron resolution. Furtherly, we imaged and reconstructed the entire projection course of individual sensory neurons from adult mouse digits to the spinal cord. The TESOS method provides an efficient tool for micron-scale connectome mapping of the peripheral nervous system.

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Expression of the regeneration-associated protein SPRR1A in primary sensory neurons and spinal cord of the adult mouse following peripheral and central injury

The Journal of Comparative Neurology ◽

10.1002/cne.21944 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 513 (1) ◽

pp. 51-68 ◽

Cited By ~ 43

Author(s):

Michelle L. Starkey ◽

Meirion Davies ◽

Ping K. Yip ◽

Lucy M. Carter ◽

Danny J.N. Wong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Sensory Neurons ◽

Adult Mouse ◽

Primary Sensory Neurons

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Do photobleached fluorescent microtubules move?: re-evaluation of fluorescence laser photobleaching both in vitro and in growing Xenopus axon.

The Journal of Cell Biology ◽

10.1083/jcb.120.5.1177 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 120 (5) ◽

pp. 1177-1186 ◽

Cited By ~ 37

Author(s):

S Okabe ◽

N Hirokawa

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Sensory Neurons ◽

Adult Mouse ◽

Spinal Cord Neurons

We previously documented differences in the behavior of microtubules in growing axons of two types of neurons, adult mouse sensory neurons and Xenopus embryonal spinal cord neurons. Namely, the bulk of microtubules was stationary in mouse sensory neurons both by the method of photoactivation of caged-fluorescein-labeled tubulin and photobleaching of fluorescein-labeled tubulin, but the bulk of microtubules did translocate anterogradely by the method of photoactivation. Although these results indicated that the stationary nature of photobleached microtubules in mouse neurons is not an artifact derived from the high levels of energy required for the procedure, it has not yet been settled whether the photobleaching method can detect the movement of microtubules properly. Here we report photobleaching experiments on growing axons of Xenopus embryonal neurons. Anterograde movement of photobleached microtubules was observed at a frequency and translocation rate similar to the values determined by the method of photoactivation. Our results suggest that, under appropriate conditions, the photobleaching method is able to reveal the behavior of microtubules as accurately as the photoactivation method.

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