University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine
3 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE
Neuroscience
Acute Dissociation of Lamprey Reticulospinal Axons to Enable Recording from the Release Face Membrane of Individual Functional Presynaptic Terminals
Shankar Ramachandran 1, Simon Alford 1
1Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago
Recording Ca2+ currents at the presynaptic release face membrane is key to a precise understanding of Ca2+ entry and neurotransmitter release. We present an acute dissociation of the lamprey spinal cord that yields functional isolated reticulospinal axons, permitting recording directly from the release face membrane of individual presynaptic terminals.
Neuroscience
Laminectomy and Spinal Cord Window Implantation in the Mouse
Elizabeth A. Pietruczyk 1, Terilyn K.L. Stephen 2, Simon Alford 1, Sarah E. Lutz 1
1Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, 2Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine
This protocol describes implantation of a glass window onto the spinal cord of a mouse to facilitate visualization by intravital microscopy.
Biochemistry
In Vivo Calcium Imaging in C. elegans Body Wall Muscles
Ashley A. Martin 1,2, Simon Alford 3, Janet E. Richmond 1
1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 2Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of Minnesota, 3Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago
This method provides a way to couple optogenetics and genetically encoded calcium sensors to image baseline cytosolic calcium levels and changes in evoked calcium transients in the body wall muscles of the model organism C. elegans.
