In Vivo Intracerebral Stereotaxic Injections for Optogenetic Stimulation of Long-Range Inputs in Mouse Brain Slices

Summary

This protocol describes a set of methods to identify the cell-type specific functional connectivity of long-range inputs from distant brain regions using optogenetic stimulations in ex vivo brain slices.

Abstract

Knowledge of cell-type specific synaptic connectivity is a crucial prerequisite for understanding brain-wide neuronal circuits. The functional investigation of long-range connections requires targeted recordings of single neurons combined with the specific stimulation of identified distant inputs. This is often difficult to achieve with conventional and electrical stimulation techniques, because axons from converging upstream brain areas may intermingle in the target region. The stereotaxic targeting of a specific brain region for virus-mediated expression of light-sensitive ion channels allows selective stimulation of axons originating from that region with light. Intracerebral stereotaxic injections can be used in well-delimited structures, such as the anterior thalamic nuclei, in addition to other subcortical or cortical areas throughout the brain.

Described here is a set of techniques for precise stereotaxic injection of viral vectors expressing channelrhodopsin in the mouse brain, followed by photostimulation of axon terminals in the brain slice preparation. These protocols are simple and widely applicable. In combination with whole-cell patch clamp recording from a postsynaptically connected neuron, photostimulation of axons allows the detection of functional synaptic connections, pharmacological characterization, and evaluation of their strength. In addition, biocytin filling of the recorded neuron can be used for post-hoc morphological identification of the postsynaptic neuron.

Introduction

Defining connectivity between brain regions is necessary to understand neural circuits. Classical anatomical tracing methods allow establishing interregional connectivity, and lesion studies help to understand the hierarchical organization of information flow. For example, brain circuits for spatial orientation and head direction signaling involve the directional flow of information from the thalamus to the presubiculum. This has been demonstrated by lesion studies of antero-dorsal thalamic nuclei (ADN) that degrade the head direction signal in the downstream dorsal presubiculum, as well as the parahippocampal grid cell signal^1,

Protocol

All procedures were performed in accordance with the European Community Council Directive (2010/63/EU) and approved by the ethics committee of Paris Descartes University. The experimenter must obtain authorization for the procedure to comply with local regulations.

1. Planning of the experiment

1. Define the brain area to be targeted. Determine the stereotaxic coordinates of the injection site with the help of a mouse brain atlas¹⁵. For the right antero-dorsal thalamic nucleus (ADN), the coordinates are: -0.82 posterior, 0.75 lateral, -3.2 depth (mm) relative to bregma. Coordinates may need to be adjusted fo....

Results

The procedure presented here was used to express a blue light-sensitive channelrhodopsin (Chronos) fused to GFP in the antero-dorsal nucleus of the thalamus (ADN), by stereotaxic injection of anterograde adeno-associated virus. The stereotaxic coordinates were determined according to a mouse brain atlas and tested by injecting 200 nL of fluorescent tracer fluoro-ruby. The animal was sacrificed 10 min after the injection, and the brain was extracted and fixated overnight. Coronal brain sections were prepared to examine th.......

Discussion

In vivo viral injection to express light-sensitive opsins in a defined brain area is a choice method for the optogenetic analysis of long-range functional connectivity^10,11,17,18. Stereotaxic injections offer the possibility to precisely target a specific area of the brain. The coexpression of an opsin with a fluorescent reporter conveniently allows evaluation of the successful expression and c.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
0.5 mm bur	Harvard Apparatus	724962
10 µL Hamilton syringe	Hamilton	1701 RN - 7653-01
10X PBS solution	Thermofisher Scientific	AM9624	text
36% PFA	Sigma-Aldrich	F8775
470 nm LED	Cairn Research	P1105/470/LED  DC/59022m	use with matched excitation filter 470/40x  and emission filter for GFP
AAV5.Syn.Chronos-GFP.WPRE.bGH	Penn Vector Core	AV-5-PV3446	lot V6026R, qTiter GC/ml 4.912e12, ddTiter GC/ml 2.456e13
All chemicals	Sigma
Bath temperature controler	Luigs & Neumann	SM7	Set at 34°C
beveled metal needle	Hamilton	7803-05	33 gauge, 13mm, point style 4-20°
Big scissors	Dahle Allround	50038
Biocytin	Sigma	B4261	final 1-3 mg/ml
Borosilicate Capillaries	Havard Apparatus	GC150-10	1.5 mm outer, 0.86 inner diameter
Brown Flaming electrode puller	Sutter Instruments	P-87
BupH Phosphate Buffered Saline pack	Thermofisher Scientific	28372
butterfly needle for perfusion	Braun	Venofix A	24G
CCD Camera	Andor	DL-604M
Confocal Microscope	Zeiss	LSM710	20X
curved forceps	FST	11011-17
CY5 configuration (confocal)			Helium-Neon 633nm (5,0 mW) laser; Mirror: MBS 488/561/633
CY5 configuration (epifluo)	Nikon/Chroma		Fluorescent light (Intensilight); Excitation filter: BP645/30; Dichroic mirror: 89100 BS ; Emission filter: BP705/72
DAPI	Sigma	D9542
DAPI configuration (epifluo)	Nikon/Chroma		Fluorescent light (Intensilight); Cube: Semrock Set DAPI-5060C-000-ZERO (Excitation: BP 377/50; Mirror: BS 409; Emission: BP 447/60)
Digidata 1440A	Axon Instruments
Digital handheld optical meter	ThorLabs	PM100D	Parametered on 475 nm
Double egde stainless steel razor blades	Electron Microscopy Sciences	72000	Use half of the blade in the slicer
Dual Fluorescent Protein Flashlight	Nightsea	DFP-1	excitation, 440-460 nm; emission filter on glasses, 500 nm longpass.
EGTA	Sigma	E4368	final 0,2 mM
Epifluorescence Microscope	Nikon	Eclipse TE-2000E	10 or 20X
Filter paper	Whatman
Fluoro-Ruby 10%	Millipore	AG335	disolve 10 mg in 100 µl of distilled water ; inject 150 to 300 nl
GFP configuration (epifluo)	Nikon/Chroma		Fluorescent light (Intensilight); Cube: Filter Set Nikon B-2E/C FITC (Excitation: BP 465-495; Mirror: BS 505; Emission: BP 515-555)
Heatingplate	Physitemp	HP4M
Heparin choay 5000 U.I./ml	Sanofi		5 ml vial
HEPES	Sigma	H3375	final 10 mM
High speed rotary micromotor kit	Foredom	K.1070	maximum drill speed 38,000 rpm
Internal solution compounds :
Isolated Pulse Stimulator	A-M Systems	2100
KCl	Sigma	P4504	final 1,2 mM
Ketamine 1000	Virbac
Ketofen 10%	Merial		100 mg/ml : dilute 1 µl in 1ml total (0,1%)
Laocaine (lidocaine)	MSD		16,22 mg/ml : dilute 1 ml in 4 ml total (around 4%)
LED hi power spot for surgery	Photonic (via Phymep)	10044
LED Power Supply	Cairn Research	OptoLED Light Source
Manipulators	Luigs & Neumann	SM-7
Mg-ATP 2H20	Sigma	A9187	final 4 mM
MgCl2	Sigma	63069	final 2 mM
Micro temperature controler	Physitemp	MTC-1
Milk powder	Carnation
MultiClamp 700B	Axon Instruments
Na Phosphocreatine	Sigma	P7936	final 10 mM
Na3-GTP 2H20	Sigma	G9002	final 0.4 mM
needle holder/hemostat	FST	13005-14
pClamp acquisition software	Axon Instruments
Peristaltic pump	Gilson	Minipuls 3	14-16 on the display for 2-3 ml/min
Potassium gluconate (K-gluconate)	Sigma	G4500	Final 135 mM
ProLong Gold antifade mounting medium	Thermofisher Scientific	P36390
Rompun 2% (xylazine)	Bayer
small scissors	FST	14060-09
Sodium chloride 0.9%	Virbac		dilute 8.5 mL in 10 ml total
Stereomicroscope VISISCOPE SZT	VWR	630-1584
Stereotaxic frame with digital display	Kopf	Model 940	Small animal stereotaxic instrument
Streptavidin-Cy3 conjugate	Life technologies	434315
Streptavidin-Cy5 conjugate	Thermofisher Scientific	S32357
Superglue3 Loctite	Dutscher	999227	1g tube
Suture filament Ethilon II 4-0 polyamid	Ethicon	F3210
Syringe pump	kdScientific	Legato 130 - 788130	Use Infuse and Withdraw modes
Tissue slicer	Leica	VT1200S	speed 0.07, amplitude 1.
tubing	Gilson	F117942, F117946	Yellow/Black, Purple/Black
upright microscope	Olympus	BX51W1
Versi-dry bench absorbant paper	Nalgene