The authors would like to acknowledge contributions from the entire Gereau Lab for manuscript editing. This work is supported by NINDS funds 1F31NS078852 to DSB and NINDS fund NS42595 to RWG.

Todos los protocolos de ratón estaban de acuerdo con los Institutos Nacionales de Salud y fueron aprobados por el Comité de Estudios Animal de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad de Washington (St. Louis, MO). 1. Preparación de la Bandeja de Pruebas y Cajas <ol><li> Limpie la superficie del cristal. </li><li> Fije la sonda de termopar de tipo T filamento a la superficie en el medio de la placa de vidrio con cinta de laboratorio. </li><li> Coloca los recintos de los animales sobre la placa de vidrio en una sola línea a lo largo del centro de la placa. </li><li> Pase la sonda termopar a través del centro recinto de animales y enchufe en el registrador de datos. Gire el registrador de datos en tiempo de desactivar la función de apagado automático, y conecte el registrador de datos al ordenador con el cable suministrado. <ol><li> Si el registro de la temperatura de la placa durante el experimento, abra el software de registro de datos para comenzar a registrar temperaturas de placas. </li><li> Si es necesario, ajustar el software para volvercable de la temperatura de la placa una vez por segundo. </li><li> Comience a registrar temperaturas utilizando el software incluido con el registrador de datos térmica. </li></ol></li><li> Separar el recinto con inserciones en negro para evitar la interacción visual entre ratones. </li><li> Posición refleja debajo del vidrio de tal manera que la parte inferior de los recintos es visible desde una posición sentada cómoda. </li></ol> 2. El calentamiento / enfriamiento de la placa de vidrio <ol><li> Llenar cajas de aluminio con agua calentada, hielo húmedo, o hielo seco y la posición apropiada sobre la placa de vidrio (paquetes de papel de aluminio lleno de hielo seco se pueden utilizar también para enfriar el vidrio; Figura 1) 2. <ol><li> Para la prueba a 30 ° C, colocar las cajas de aluminio de aproximadamente 0,25 &#39;&#39; fuera de los recintos de los animales (Figura 2 B) 2. <ol><li> Establecer un circulador de agua caliente a cada lado de la placa de vidrio. Ajuste el termostato a 45 - 60 ° C, y nose para llenar las cajas de aluminio con un flujo constante de agua caliente (Figura 1 C) 2. </li><li> Coloque los circuladores de tal manera que el agua caliente de las cajas de aluminio drena directamente de vuelta al depósito de la bomba de circulación en cada lado (Figura 1 C) 2. </li></ol></li><li> Para la prueba a temperatura ambiente, deje los cuadros vacíos (Figura 2) 2. </li><li> Para la prueba a los 17 ° C, colocar las cajas de aproximadamente 0,25 &#39;&#39; fuera de los recintos de los animales de cada lado y se llenan de hielo húmedo (Figura 2) 2. </li><li> Para la prueba a 12 ° C, colocar las cajas de aproximadamente 1,25 &#39;&#39; fuera de los recintos de cualquier lado y se llenan de hielo seco (Figura 2) 2. </li><li> Para la prueba a 5 ° C, coloque las cajas de aproximadamente 0,25 &#39;&#39; fuera de los recintos de cualquier lado y se llenan de hielo seco (Figura 2) 2.<ol><li> Al enfriar el vaso con hielo seco, asegúrese de que haya suficiente ventilación para evitar la acumulación de CO 2 en la habitación. </li></ol></li></ol></li><li> Espere a que el vidrio para alcanzar el rango de temperatura deseado. </li><li> Añadir los ratones a los recintos de la placa. NOTA: un generador de ruido blanco puede ser utilizado para disminuir las perturbaciones de ruido. </li><li> Espere a que los ratones se aclimate. NOTA: En nuestras instalaciones de esto toma aproximadamente 2,5 horas, pero esto puede variar de forma significativa sobre la base de alojamiento de los animales y las condiciones de manejo. </li><li> Mantener el vidrio en el intervalo de temperatura deseado, garantizando que las cajas se mantienen llenas de agua caliente, hielo húmedo, o hielo seco. NOTA: Con nuestro aparato de las cajas necesita ser rellenado con hielo aproximadamente cada 90 min. NOTA: Para obtener la condición de 17 ° C, es útil para vaciar la mayor parte del agua de las cajas de aluminio a través de los orificios de drenaje antes de rellenar con hielo. Esto estabilizará la temperatura mejor, y prdesbordamiento evento NOTA: La cantidad exacta del hielo seco variará según la temporada, pero en general mantener las cajas de más de ¼ completo a lo largo de toda la longitud de la caja va a mantener la temperatura constante. </li></ol> 3. Prueba de los ratones a temperaturas fijas <ol><li> Fuera de la sala de comportamiento, llenar un cubo de hielo alrededor de la mitad llena de hielo seco. </li><li> Con un martillo o mazo, machacar el hielo seco en un polvo fino. NOTA: Si sobrecarga el cubo hará que sea difícil para aplastar por completo el hielo seco en polvo. </li><li> Utilizando una hoja de afeitar recta o tijeras, corte la parte superior de una jeringa de 3 ml. </li><li> Utilizando una aguja de 21 G, meter 3 agujeros en los lados opuestos de la jeringa (total de 6 hoyos). NOTA: Estos agujeros se reducirá la presión generada por la sublimación mientras comprime el hielo seco. La jeringa de corte puede ser reutilizado para múltiples experimentos. </li><li> Tome la jeringa, polvo de hielo seco, y un cronómetro de mano en la sala de comportamiento. </li><li> Llene la cámara de la jeringa medio lleno de polvo de hielo seco. Mantenga el extremo cortado de la jeringa contra un objeto plano, y comprimir firmemente el polvo utilizando el émbolo. Ten cuidado; el émbolo de plástico puede doblarse o romperse por la presión. Si esto ocurre, vuelva a colocar el émbolo de una jeringa nueva. </li><li> Extender la punta de la pastilla de hielo seco comprimido más allá del borde de la jeringa. </li><li> Ratones de prueba que son totalmente en reposo. <ol><li> A 30 ° C, 23 ° C y 17 ° C, los ratones de prueba que tengan todas las 4 patas en el vidrio y no se mueve, pero no completamente dormido 19. </li><li> A los 12 ° C y 5 ° C, los ratones de prueba que se encuentran en 2 patas o 4 patas y no se mueven o saltan. </li></ol></li><li> El uso de los espejos para la orientación, con suavidad pero con firmeza, presione el rubor pellet plana contra la superficie de cristal debajo de la pata trasera del ratón (Figura 1) 2. Inicie la mano automático. </li><li> Detener el temporizador y retirar el sedimento cuando el ratón se aleja del vidrio enfriado. NOTA: El movimiento de retroceso puede ser vertical u horizontal. <ol><li> Si el ratón se mueve muy brevemente la pata y luego devuelve a la superficie de enfriamiento, continúe sincronización y la estimulación hasta que el ratón hace un movimiento permanente de distancia. NOTA: Nuestro laboratorio utiliza un tiempo máximo estímulo de 20 seg para ratones en la mayoría de los casos. </li></ol></li><li> Repita este procedimiento de prueba hasta que se recogen al menos 3 valores en cada pata de cada animal. Ensayos separados de prueba patas opuestas en el mismo ratón por al menos 7 min, y los ensayos consecutivos separados en una sola pata por al menos 15 min. </li><li> Si es necesario, utilizar diferentes espesores de vidrio para generar diferentes tasas de enfriamiento (Figura 3) 1. NOTA: La velocidad de enfriamiento se correlaciona inversamente con el espesor del vidrio. </li></ol> 4. Prueba de la Ratones Durante Fría Adaptación NOTA: Este es un protocolo alternativo que permite realizar pruebas como la plataforma de cristale enfría, en lugar de una vez que la placa se ha estabilizado y los ratones se han adaptado plenamente al ambiente frío. <ol><li> Siga las instrucciones que figuran en la Sección 1 para configurar el aparato. </li><li> Siga las instrucciones que figuran en la Sección 3 para tomar mediciones de referencia a RT (Figura 7A) 2. </li><li> Pre-enfriar las cajas de aluminio con hielo seco. </li><li> Una vez que se han medido las latencias de retirada de línea de base, coloque las cajas preenfriados en la placa de aproximadamente 1,25 &#39;&#39; fuera de los recintos de cualquier lado (Figura 7A, flecha etiquetada como &quot;hielo seco añadió&quot;) 2. </li><li> Siga las instrucciones que figuran en la Sección 3 para tomar medidas como la placa de vidrio se enfría, tomando medidas tan a menudo como sea posible. </li></ol>

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The authors have nothing to disclose

The CPA can be used to assess cold sensitivity and cold adaptation in mice. It provides an affordable, efficient way to measure cold responses in unrestrained, acclimated animals at a wide variety of temperature ranges. It also provides an unambiguous behavioral response with an easily quantified and analyzed output variable. It has already been used to assess changes in cold sensitivity induced by inflammation1, neuropathic injury1, analgesics1, genetic knockouts20, and ge...

Medición de la capacidad de respuesta frío en roedores es importante para mejorar la comprensión de los mecanismos potenciales de sensibilidad al frío en los seres humanos, tanto en condiciones normales y patológicas. El Plantar Ensayo Fría (CPA), originalmente desarrollado hace varios años 1, está diseñado para generar respuestas reproducibles, sin ambigüedades murinos de comportamiento a un estímulo frío entregado a temperatura ambiente. Más recientes mejoras de este ensayo han permitido la medición reproducible de sensibilidad al frío en una amplia gama de temperaturas de 2. Ambas versiones también están diseñados para ser relativamente de alto rendimiento, y barato de usar. Una gran parte de los avances se han logrado en la comprensión de los mecanismos de la sensibilidad al frío utilizando otros métodos de comportamiento. Un método es la prueba de la evaporación de acetona, que implica frotando o pulverización acetona en la pata del ratón y midiendo la cantidad de tiempo que gasta el ratón agitando el 3,4 pata. Desafortunadamente,las respuestas a la evaporación de acetona son confundidos por la sensación de humedad y el olor de la acetona. Además, el estímulo frío que se aplica en la prueba de la evaporación de acetona puede variar en función de la cantidad de acetona aplicado, y es difícil de cuantificar. Finalmente, los ratones no lesionados tienen respuestas mínimas a acetona al inicio del estudio, por lo que es imposible medir la analgesia en ausencia de hipersensibilidad con este método. Otro ensayo clásico para las respuestas frías es el ensayo de retirada de la cola, donde se mide la latencia a la retirada después de la cola se encuentra inmersa en 5,6 agua fría. Mientras que las respuestas de comportamiento en este ensayo son inequívocos y el ensayo mide las respuestas a una temperatura específica, los animales deben estar sujetos durante la prueba, lo que puede alterar la capacidad de respuesta fría a través de bien descritos mecanismos analgésicos inducidos por el estrés 7. Otra herramienta comúnmente usada es la prueba de la placa fría, que mide el comportamientorespuestas de los ratones después de que se colocan en una placa Peltier enfriado 8-10. Mientras que esta herramienta proporciona información sobre respuestas de los animales a temperaturas específicas, también se ha utilizado de manera incompatible; diferentes grupos han medido diferentes tipos de respuestas, incluyendo el número de saltos 8,11, la latencia hasta la primera respuesta 8,11- 13, y el número de la pata ascensores 11,13,14 con resultados muy diferentes. El ensayo de placa de frío es también relativamente bajo rendimiento, ya que sólo un animal puede ser probado a la vez, y requiere un dispositivo peltier caros y frágiles. La prueba de preferencia la temperatura de la placa 2 es un derivado de uso común de la prueba de la placa fría que mide la cantidad relativa de tiempo que los animales pasan en 2 placas conectadas de diferentes temperaturas 9,15- 17. Otro ensayo comúnmente utilizado similar es el ensayo de gradiente térmico, donde la cantidad de tiempo que los ratones que pasan en diferentes zonas de temperaturaque oscila entre 5 ° C y 45 ° C en una placa de metal larga se mide 16. Si bien estos ensayos permiten la comparación de temperaturas, no está claro si el comportamiento representa la temperatura o la aversión a la preferencia de la temperatura. Por último, el ensayo de placa fría dinámica ha sido utilizado para medir cómo los ratones responden a los cambios de temperatura ambiente 18. Este método consiste en colocar los ratones en un dispositivo peltier RT y el aumento gradual de abajo a 1 ° C, mientras que la medición de la cantidad de los ratones saltan o se lamen las patas a diferentes temperaturas de la placa. Si bien esta prueba cómo los ratones adaptarse a un entorno de enfriamiento, que no proporciona una forma de probar cómo los ratones responden a un estímulo frío en la configuración de un refrigerador de temperatura ambiente. Adicionalmente, se requiere un equipo costoso para llevar a cabo y no proporciona una manera para aclimatarse a los ratones el equipo de prueba antes de medir su sensibilidad al frío. Para complementar estos ensayos, el CPA pone a prueba la ACCLIMAted respuestas a un estímulo frío bien definido en una variedad de rangos de temperatura, o durante el proceso de adaptación a climas fríos. Se puede probar hasta 14 ratones a la vez con nuestro aparato actual, con el potencial de ser económicamente a escala para ensayos de alto rendimiento.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="1209">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:233px;">Name</td>
			<td style="width:320px;">Company</td>
			<td style="width:353px;">Catalog Number</td>
			<td style="width:303px;">Comments</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">T-type thermocouple probe</td>
			<td>Physitemp</td>
			<td>IT-24p</td>
			<td>Used to measure the surface temperature of the glass (http://www.physitemp.com/products/probesandwire/)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Glass plate</td>
			<td>Local glass company (in St. Louis, Stemmerich Inc)</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
			<td>We use pyrex glass (borosilicate float). Our lab generally uses 1/4&#39;&#39;, but 3/16&#39;&#39; and 1/8&#39;&#39; are also useful</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Thermal Data logger</td>
			<td>Extech</td>
			<td>EA15</td>
			<td>Thermologger to keep track of glass temperature (http://www.extech.com/instruments/product.asp?catid=64&#38;prodid=408)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">3mL Syringe</td>
			<td>BD</td>
			<td align="right">309657</td>
			<td>The top is cut off, and dry ice is compressed in the syringe to generate a cold probe</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Computer</td>
			<td>If using Extech logger, any Pcwill work</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Aluminum boxes</td>
			<td>Washington University in St. Louis machine shop</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
			<td>boxes are 3&#39; long, 4.5&#39;&#39; wide, and 3&#39;&#39; tall with a sealed lid.&#160; There is a 1/2&#39;&#39; hole drilled into one short side of each box, near the bottom. These holes are filled with rubber stopcocks when the boxes are filled with wet ice or hot water.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Heated water circulator</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Any water circulator model with a pump will work</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">21 gauge needle</td>
			<td>BD</td>
			<td align="right">305165</td>
			<td>The exact needle size is not important</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Hand timer</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Any hand timer will work</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Mirror</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Any flat mirror will work</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

a simple and inexpensive method for determining cold sensitivity and adaptation in mice

Cold hypersensitivity is a serious clinical problem, affecting a broad subset of patients and causing significant decreases in quality of life. The cold plantar assay allows the objective and inexpensive assessment of cold sensitivity in mice, and can quantify both analgesia and hypersensitivity. Mice are acclimated on a glass plate, and a compressed dry ice pellet is held against the glass surface underneath the hindpaw. The latency to withdrawal from the cooling glass is used as a measure of cold sensitivity.
Cold sensation is also important for survival in regions with seasonal temperature shifts, and in order to maintain sensitivity animals must be able to adjust their thermal response thresholds to match the ambient temperature. The Cold Plantar Assay (CPA) also allows the study of adaptation to changes in ambient temperature by testing the cold sensitivity of mice at temperatures ranging from 30 &#176;C to 5 &#176;C. Mice are acclimated as described above, but the glass plate is cooled to the desired starting temperature using aluminum boxes (or aluminum foil packets) filled with hot water, wet ice, or dry ice. The temperature of the plate is measured at the center using a filament T-type thermocouple probe. Once the plate has reached the desired starting temperature, the animals are tested as described above.
This assay allows testing of mice at temperatures ranging from innocuous to noxious. The CPA yields unambiguous and consistent behavioral responses in uninjured mice and can be used to quantify both hypersensitivity and analgesia. This protocol describes how to use the CPA to measure cold hypersensitivity, analgesia, and adaptation in mice.

Las respuestas de comportamiento inducidos a partir de ratones a partir de 30 ° C, 23 ° C, 17 ° C, y 12 ° C son altamente reproducible (Figura 4A) 20. Con el fin de medir el estímulo frío que se genera bajo la pata trasera, los ratones fueron anestesiados con una mezcla de ketamina / xilazina / acepromazina cóctel y sus patas fueron asegurados en el cristal en la parte superior de un termopar de tipo T filamento (Figura 4B) 20. El vidrio se enfría o se cali...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about A Simple and Inexpensive Method for Determining Cold Sensitivity and Adaptation in Mice at JoVE.com

A Simple and Inexpensive Method for Determining Cold Sensitivity and Adaptation in Mice

The Cold Plantar Assay (CPA) measures cold responsiveness between 30 &#176;C and 5 &#176;C, and can also measure cold adaptation. This protocol describes how to use the CPA to measure cold hypersensitivity, analgesia, and adaptation in mice.

Un método simple y barato para la Determinación de la sensibilidad al frío y Adaptación en ratones

Cold hypersensitivity is a serious clinical problem, affecting a broad subset of patients and causing significant decreases in quality of life.  The cold ...

a-simple-inexpensive-method-for-determining-cold-sensitivity

Research

JoVE Journal

Neuroscience

14.6K vistas.  Washington University in St. Louis. The Cold Plantar Assay (CPA) measures cold responsiveness between 30 °C and 5 °C, and can also measure cold adaptation. This protocol describes how to use the CPA to measure cold hypersensitivity, analgesia, and adaptation in mice.

Video: A Simple and Inexpensive Method for Determining Cold Sensitivity and Adaptation in Mice

The Vermicelli and Capellini Handling Tests: Simple quantitative measures of dexterous forepaw function in rats and mice

Previous characterizations of rodent eating behavior have revealed that they use coordinated forepaw movements to manipulate food pieces. We have extended upon this work to develop a simple quantitative measure of forepaw dexterity that is sensitive to lateralized impairments and age-dependent changes. Rodents learn skillful forepaw and digit movements to manage thin pasta pieces, which they eagerly consume. We have previously described methods for quantifying vermicelli handling in rats and showed that the measures are very sensitive to forelimb impairments resulting from unilateral ischemic lesions, middle cerebral artery occlusions and unilateral striatal dopamine depletion [Allred, R.P., Adkins, D.L., Woodlee, M.T., Husbands, L.C., Maldonado M.A., Kane, J.R., Schallert, T. &amp; Jones, T.A. The Vermicelli Handling Test: a simple quantitative measure of dexterous forepaw function in rats. J. Neurosci. Methods 170, 229-244 (2008)]. Here we present a more detailed protocol for this test in rats and compare it with a newly developed version for mice, the Capellini Handling Test. Rats and mice are videotaped while handling short lengths of uncooked vermicelli or capellini pasta, respectively, with a camera positioned to optimize the view of paw movements. Slow motion video playback allows for the identification of forepaw adjustments, defined as any distinct removal and replacement of the paw, or of any number of digits, on the pasta piece after eating commences. Forepaw adjustments per piece are averaged over trials per each testing session. Repeated testing permits sensitive quantitative analysis of changes in forepaw dexterity over time. Protocols for pre-testing habituation and handling practice, as well as procedures for characterizing atypical handling patterns, are described. Because rats and mice perform the pasta handling tests slightly differently, species-specific differences in administration and scoring of these tests are highlighted. All animal use was in accordance with protocols approved by the University of Texas at Austin Animal Care and Use Committee.

The Vermicelli and Capellini Handling Tests of forepaw dexterity take advantage of the natural inclination of rodents to manipulate food items using skillful forepaw and digit movements. Animals are videotaped while handling short strands of uncooked dry pasta. Slow motion video playback allows for the quantification of forepaw adjustments.

El grano y Pruebas de Manejo de Capellini: Simple medidas cuantitativas de la función de las patas delanteras diestro en ratas y ratones

Previous characterizations of rodent eating behavior have revealed that they use coordinated forepaw movements to manipulate food pieces. We have extended ...

Investigación

Neurociencias

A Simple Way to Measure Ethanol Sensitivity in Flies

Low doses of ethanol cause flies to become hyperactive, while high doses are sedating. The sensitivity to ethanol-induced sedation of a given fly strain is correlated with that strain s ethanol preference, and therefore sedation is a highly relevant measure to study the genetics of alcohol responses and drinking. We demonstrate a simple way to expose flies to ethanol and measure its intoxicating effects. The assay we describe can determine acute sensitivity, as well as ethanol tolerance induced by repeat exposure. It does not require a technically involved setup, and can therefore be applied in any laboratory with basic fly culture tools.

A simple assay to measure the sedating effects of ethanol on Drosophila flies, based on the loss of righting reflex, is described.

Una manera sencilla de medir la sensibilidad de etanol en las moscas

Low doses of ethanol cause flies to become hyperactive, while high doses are sedating. The sensitivity to ethanol-induced sedation of a given fly strain ...

A General Method for Evaluating Incubation of Sucrose Craving in Rats

For someone on a food-restricted diet, food craving in response to food-paired cues may serve as a key behavioral transition point between abstinence and relapse to food taking 1. Food craving conceptualized in this way is akin to drug craving in response to drug-paired cues. A rich literature has been developed around understanding the behavioral and neurobiological determinants of drug craving; we and others have been focusing recently on translating techniques from basic addiction research to better understand addiction-like behaviors related to food 2-4.
As done in previous studies of drug craving, we examine sucrose craving behavior by utilizing a rat model of relapse. In this model, rats self-administer either drug or food in sessions over several days. In a session, lever responding delivers the reward along with a tone+light stimulus. Craving behavior is then operationally defined as responding in a subsequent session where the reward is not available. Rats will reliably respond for the tone+light stimulus, likely due to its acquired conditioned reinforcing properties 5. This behavior is sometimes referred to as sucrose seeking or cue reactivity. In the present discussion we will use the term "sucrose craving" to subsume both of these constructs.
In the past decade, we have focused on how the length of time following reward self-administration influences reward craving. Interestingly, rats increase responding for the reward-paired cue over the course of several weeks of a period of forced-abstinence. This "incubation of craving" is observed in rats that have self-administered either food or drugs of abuse 4,6. This time-dependent increase in craving we have identified in the animal model may have great potential relevance to human drug and food addiction behaviors.
Here we present a protocol for assessing incubation of sucrose craving in rats. Variants of the procedure will be indicated where craving is assessed as responding for a discrete sucrose-paired cue following extinction of lever pressing within the sucrose self-administration context (Extinction without cues) or as responding for sucrose-paired cues in a general extinction context (Extinction with cues).

Responding for food or drug-paired cues increases over the course of a period of abstinence and this may relate to an increased susceptibility to relapse behaviors. Here we detail a procedure for evaluating this "incubation of craving" in rats that have self-administered sucrose.

Un método general para la evaluación de incubación de sacarosa en ratas Deseo

For someone on a food-restricted diet, food craving in response to food-paired cues may serve as a key behavioral transition point between abstinence and ...

A Molecular Readout of Long-term Olfactory Adaptation in C. elegans

During sustained stimulation most sensory neurons will adapt their response by decreasing their sensitivity to the signal. The adaptation response helps shape attention and also protects cells from over-stimulation. Adaptation within the olfactory circuit of C. elegans was first described by Colbert and Bargmann1,2. Here, the authors defined parameters of the olfactory adaptation paradigm, which they used to design a genetic screen to isolate mutants defective in their ability to adapt to volatile odors sensed by the Amphid Wing cells type C (AWC) sensory neurons. When wildtype C. elegans animals are exposed to an attractive AWC-sensed odor3 for 30 min they will adapt their responsiveness to the odor and will then ignore the adapting odor in a chemotaxis behavioral assay for ~1 hr. When wildtype C. elegans animals are exposed to an attractive AWC-sensed odor for ~1 hr they will then ignore the adapting odor in a chemotaxis behavioral assay for ~3 hr. These two phases of olfactory adaptation in C. elegans were described as short-term olfactory adaptation (induced after 30 min odor exposure), and long-term olfactory adaptation (induced after 60 min odor exposure). Later work from L'Etoile et al.,4 uncovered a Protein Kinase G (PKG) called EGL-4 that is required for both the short-term and long-term olfactory adaptation in AWC neurons. The EGL-4 protein contains a nuclear localization sequence that is necessary for long-term olfactory adaptation responses but dispensable for short-term olfactory adaptation responses in the AWC4. By tagging EGL-4 with a green fluorescent protein, it was possible to visualize the localization of EGL-4 in the AWC during prolonged odor exposure. Using this fully functional GFP-tagged EGL-4 (GFP::EGL-4) molecule we have been able to develop a molecular readout of long-term olfactory adaptation in the AWC5. Using this molecular readout of olfactory adaptation we have been able to perform both forward and reverse genetic screens to identify mutant animals that exhibit defective subcellular localization patterns of GFP::EGL-4 in the AWC6,7. Here we describe: 1) the construction of GFP::EGL-4 expressing animals; 2) the protocol for cultivation of animals for long-term odor-induced nuclear translocation assays; and 3) the scoring of the long-term odor-induced nuclear translocation event and recovery (re-sensitization) from the nuclear GFP::EGL-4 state.

A Molecular Readout of Long-term Olfactory Adaptation in C. elegans

Here we describe a molecular readout of long-term olfactory adaptation in Caenorhabditis elegans. The Protein Kinase G, EGL-4, is necessary for stable adaptation responses in the primary sensory neuron pair called AWC. During prolonged odor exposure EGL-4 translocates from the cytosol to nucleus of the AWC.

Una lectura molecular de adaptación a largo plazo olfativa en<em&gt; C. elegans</em

During sustained stimulation most sensory neurons will adapt their response by decreasing their sensitivity to the signal. The adaptation response helps ...

Ex utero Electroporation and Whole Hemisphere Explants: A Simple Experimental Method for Studies of Early Cortical Development

Cortical development involves complex interactions between neurons and non-neuronal elements including precursor cells, blood vessels, meninges and associated extracellular matrix. Because they provide a suitable organotypic environment, cortical slice explants are often used to investigate those interactions that control neuronal differentiation and development. Although beneficial, the slice explant model can suffer from drawbacks including aberrant cellular lamination and migration. Here we report a whole cerebral hemisphere explant system for studies of early cortical development that is easier to prepare than cortical slices and shows consistent organotypic migration and lamination. In this model system, early lamination and migration patterns proceed normally for a period of two days in vitro, including the period of preplate splitting, during which prospective cortical layer six forms. We then developed an ex utero electroporation (EUEP) approach that achieves ~80% success in targeting GFP expression to neurons developing in the dorsal medial cortex.
The whole hemisphere explant model makes early cortical development accessible for electroporation, pharmacological intervention and live imaging approaches. This method avoids the survival surgery required of in utero electroporation (IUEP) approaches while improving both transfection and areal targeting consistency. This method will facilitate experimental studies of neuronal proliferation, migration and differentiation.

Ex utero Electroporation and Whole Hemisphere Explants: A Simple Experimental Method for Studies of Early Cortical Development

This protocol describes an improved explant procedure that involves ex utero electroporation, dissection and culture of entire cerebral hemispheres from the embryonic mouse. The preparation facilitates pharmacological studies and assays of gene function during early cortical development.

Ex utero electroporación y explantes enteros hemisferio: un método simple Experimental de Estudios del Desarrollo Cortical Temprana

Cortical development involves complex interactions between neurons and non-neuronal elements including precursor cells, blood vessels, meninges and ...

An Inexpensive, Scalable Behavioral Assay for Measuring Ethanol Sedation Sensitivity and Rapid Tolerance in Drosophila

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a serious health challenge. Despite a large hereditary component to AUD, few genes have been unambiguously implicated in their etiology. The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is a powerful model for exploring molecular-genetic mechanisms underlying alcohol-related behaviors and therefore holds great promise for identifying and understanding the function of genes that influence AUD. The use of the Drosophila model for these types of studies depends on the availability of assays that reliably measure behavioral responses to ethanol. This report describes an assay suitable for assessing ethanol sensitivity and rapid tolerance in flies. Ethanol sensitivity measured in this assay is influenced by the volume and concentration of ethanol used, a variety of previously reported genetic manipulations, and also the length of time the flies are housed without food immediately prior to testing. In contrast, ethanol sensitivity measured in this assay is not affected by the vigor of fly handling, sex of the flies, and supplementation of growth medium with antibiotics or live yeast. Three different methods for quantitating ethanol sensitivity are described, all leading to essentially indistinguishable ethanol sensitivity results. The scalable nature of this assay, combined with its overall simplicity to set-up and relatively low expense, make it suitable for small and large scale genetic analysis of ethanol sensitivity and rapid tolerance in Drosophila.

An Inexpensive, Scalable Behavioral Assay for Measuring Ethanol Sedation Sensitivity and Rapid Tolerance in Drosophila

Straightforward assays for measuring ethanol sensitivity and rapid tolerance in Drosophila facilitate the use of this model organism for investigating these important ethanol-related behaviors. Here, a relatively simple, scalable assay for measuring ethanol sensitivity and rapid tolerance in flies is described.

Un ensayo de conducta Barato, escalable para medir etanol Sedación La sensibilidad y la tolerancia rápida en<em&gt; Drosophila</em

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a serious health challenge. Despite a large hereditary component to AUD, few genes have been unambiguously implicated in ...

A Method to Target and Isolate Airway-innervating Sensory Neurons in Mice

Somatosensory nerves transduce thermal, mechanical, chemical, and noxious stimuli caused by both endogenous and environmental agents. The cell bodies of these afferent neurons are located within the sensory ganglia. Sensory ganglia innervate a specific organ or portion of the body. For instance, the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) are located in the vertebral column and extend processes throughout the body and limbs. The trigeminal ganglia are located in the skull and innervate the face, and upper airways. Vagal afferents of the nodose ganglia extend throughout the gut, heart, and lungs. The nodose neurons control a diverse array of functions such as: respiratory rate, airway irritation, and cough reflexes. Thus, to understand and manipulate their function, it is critical to identify and isolate airway specific neuronal sub-populations. In the mouse, the airways are exposed to a fluorescent tracer dye, Fast Blue, for retrograde tracing of airway-specific nodose neurons. The nodose ganglia are dissociated and fluorescence activated cell (FAC) sorting is used to collect dye positive cells. Next, high quality ribonucleic acid (RNA) is extracted from dye positive cells for next generation sequencing. Using this method airway specific neuronal gene expression is determined.

Organ specific sensory neurons are difficult to identify. Fast Blue tracing is used to identify nodose neurons innervating the airways for cell sorting. Sorted nodose neurons are used to extract high quality ribonucleic acid (RNA) for sequencing. Using this protocol, gene expression of airway specific neurons is determined.

Un método para detectar y aislar las vías aéreas que inervan las neuronas sensoriales en ratones

Somatosensory nerves transduce thermal, mechanical, chemical, and noxious stimuli caused by both endogenous and environmental agents. The cell bodies of ...

A Simple One-step Dissection Protocol for Whole-mount Preparation of Adult Drosophila Brains

There is an increasing interest in using Drosophila to model human brain degenerative diseases, map neuronal circuitries in adult brains, and study the molecular and cellular basis of higher brain functions. A whole-mount preparation of adult brains with well-preserved morphology is critical for such whole brain-based studies, but can be technically challenging and time-consuming. This protocol describes an easy-to-learn, one-step dissection approach of an adult fly head in less than 10 s, while keeping the intact brain attached to the rest of the body to facilitate subsequent processing steps. The procedure helps remove most of the eye and tracheal tissues normally associated with the brain that can interfere with the later imaging step, and also places less demand on the quality of the dissecting forceps. Additionally, we describe a simple method that allows convenient flipping of the mounted brain samples on a coverslip, which is important for imaging both sides of the brains with similar signal intensity and quality. As an example of the protocol, we present an analysis of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in adult brains of WT (w1118) flies. The high efficacy of the dissection method makes it particularly useful for large-scale adult brain-based studies in Drosophila.

A Simple One-step Dissection Protocol for Whole-mount Preparation of Adult Drosophila Brains

The adult Drosophila brain is a valuable system for studying neuronal circuitry, higher brain functions, and complex disorders. An efficient method to dissect whole brain tissue from the small fly head will facilitate brain-based studies. Here we describe a simple, one-step dissection protocol of adult brains with well-preserved morphology.

Un simple de un solo paso para la disección Protocolo Todo el montaje Preparación de adulto<em&gt; Drosophila</emLos cerebros&gt;

There is an increasing interest in using Drosophila to model human brain degenerative diseases, map neuronal circuitries in adult brains, and study the ...

Novel Assay for Cold Nociception in Drosophila Larvae

How organisms sense and respond to noxious temperatures is still poorly understood. Further, the mechanisms underlying sensitization of the sensory machinery, such as in patients experiencing peripheral neuropathy or injury-induced sensitization, are not well characterized. The genetically tractable Drosophila model has been used to study the cells and genes required for noxious heat detection, which has yielded multiple conserved genes of interest. Little is known however about the cells and receptors important for noxious cold sensing. Although, Drosophila does not survive prolonged exposure to cold temperatures (&#8804;10 &#186;C), and will avoid cool, preferring warmer temperatures in behavioral preference assays, how they sense and possibly avoid noxious cold stimuli has only recently been investigated.
Here we describe and characterize the first noxious cold (&#8804;10 &#186;C) behavioral assay in Drosophila. Using this tool and assay, we show an investigator how to qualitatively and quantitatively assess cold nociceptive behaviors. This can be done under normal/healthy culture conditions, or presumably in the context of disease, injury or sensitization. Further, this assay can be applied to larvae selected for desired genotypes, which might impact thermosensation, pain, or nociceptive sensitization. Given that pain is a highly conserved process, using this assay to further study&#160;thermal nociception will likely glean important understanding of pain processes in other species, including vertebrates.

Novel Assay for Cold Nociception in Drosophila Larvae

Here we demonstrate a novel assay to study cold nociception in Drosophila larvae. This assay utilizes a custom-built Peltier probe capable of applying a focal noxious cold stimulus and results in quantifiable cold-specific behaviors. This technique will allow further cellular and molecular dissection of cold nociception.

Ensayo novedoso para la nocicepción en frío<em&gt; Drosophila</em&gt; Las larvas

How organisms sense and respond to noxious temperatures is still poorly understood. Further, the mechanisms underlying sensitization of the sensory ...

Culturing In Vivo-like Murine Astrocytes Using the Fast, Simple, and Inexpensive AWESAM Protocol

The AWESAM (a low-cost easy stellate astrocyte method) protocol entails a fast, simple, and inexpensive way to generate large quantities of in vivo-like mouse and rat astrocyte monocultures: Brain cells can be isolated from different brain regions, and after a week of cell culture, non-astrocytic cells are shaken off by placing the culture dishes on a shaker for 6 h in the incubator. The remaining astrocytes are then passaged into new plates with an astrocyte-specific medium (termed NB+H). NB+H contains low concentrations of heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HBEGF), which is used in place of serum in medium. After growing in NB+H, AWESAM astrocytes have a stellate morphology and feature fine processes. Moreover, these astrocytes have more in vivo-like gene expression than astrocytes generated by previously published methods. Ca2+ imaging, vesicle dynamics, and other events close to the membrane can thus be studied in the fine astrocytic processes in vitro, e.g., using live cell confocal or TIRF microscopy. Notably, AWESAM astrocytes also exhibit spontaneous Ca2+ signaling similar to astrocytes in vivo.

Culturing In Vivo-like Murine Astrocytes Using the Fast, Simple, and Inexpensive AWESAM Protocol

The AWESAM protocol described here is optimal for culturing murine astrocytes in isolation from other brain cells in a fast, simple, and inexpensive manner. AWESAM astrocytes exhibit spontaneous Ca2+ signaling, morphology, and gene expression profiles similar to astrocytes in vivo.

Cultivo In Vivo-como astrocitos murinos mediante el protocolo AWESAM rápido, sencillo y barato

The AWESAM (a low-cost easy stellate astrocyte method) protocol entails a fast, simple, and inexpensive way to generate large quantities of in vivo-like ...