In Vivo Calcium Imaging of Granule Cells in the Dentate Gyrus of Hippocampus in Mice

Well, in this protocol, we use a miniature microscope to investigate the neural activities in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. We aim to investigate neuron coding and spatial representations during the different disease conditions. I believe the key challenge of studying dentate gyrus in vivo involves obtaining high-quality calcium imaging data, whether the virus expression is satisfactory, whether the gradient is implanted at the proper location.

And the details like these, the entire surgery are of critical importance for the success of the study. In the traditional calcium imaging surgery, the virus injection and the GRIN lens implantation are typically performed as separate operations. In our protocol, we combined these two steps into a single procedure, which not only reduces the waiting time, but also ensures the accurate placement of the GRIN lens.

Our lab uses various microscopy techniques to study the neurodynamics underlying cognitive functions. We hope to understand the neural activity patterns that support cognition. And combining theoretical modeling and causal manipulations, we hope to dissect the processes of information flow and neural computation in the brain.