Activity of Posterior Lateral Line Afferent Neurons during Swimming in Zebrafish

Summary

We describe a protocol to monitor changes in the afferent neuron activity during motor commands in a model vertebrate hair cell system.

Abstract

Sensory systems gather cues essential for directing behavior, but animals must decipher what information is biologically relevant. Locomotion generates reafferent cues that animals must disentangle from relevant sensory cues of the surrounding environment. For example, when a fish swims, flow generated from body undulations is detected by the mechanoreceptive neuromasts, comprising hair cells, that compose the lateral line system. The hair cells then transmit fluid motion information from the sensor to the brain via the sensory afferent neurons. Concurrently, corollary discharge of the motor command is relayed to hair cells to prevent sensory overload. Accounting for the inhibitory effect of predictive motor signals during locomotion is, therefore, critical when evaluating the sensitivity of the lateral line system. We have developed an in vivo electrophysiological approach to simultaneously monitor posterior lateral line afferent neuron and ventral motor root activity in zebrafish larvae (4-7 days post fertilization) that can last for several hours. Extracellular recordings of afferent neurons are achieved using the loose patch clamp technique, which can detect activity from single or multiple neurons. Ventral root recordings are performed through the skin with glass electrodes to detect motor neuron activity. Our experimental protocol provides the potential to monitor endogenous or evoked changes in sensory input across motor behaviors in an intact, behaving vertebrate.

Introduction

Afferent neurons of mechanosensory systems transmit information from hair cells to the brain during hearing and balance. Electrophysiology can reveal the sensitivity of afferent neurons through direct recordings. While whole cell patching from hair cells can be challenging, recording from downstream afferent neurons is easier and allows assessment of action potentials in response to controlled stimulations^1,2,3. Stimulating hair cells lead to their deflection, which modifies mechanosensory structures, thus triggering an increase in action potentials (spikes) in afferent neuro....

Protocol

All animal care and experiments were performed in accordance with protocols approved by the University of Florida's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.

1. Preparation of materials for electrophysiological recordings

1. Make a silicone elastomer-bottomed recording dish.
   1. Dispense a thin layer of self-mixing silicone elastomer components (e.g., Sylgard) into a cover glass bottomed tissue culture dish until it levels with the rim of shallow well. Approximately 0.5 mL is sufficient.
   2. Cover and cure the dish for a minimum of 48 h at room temperature.
2. Make dissection pins.
   ....

Results

After zebrafish larvae are properly immobilized and the posterior lateral line afferent ganglion and VR recording is achieved, activity in both afferent and motor neurons can be measured simultaneously. Recording channels are displayed using gap-free recording protocols (step 1.4) for continuous monitoring of afferent and VR activity. In real-time, decreases in spontaneous afferent spike rate can be observed concurrent with VR activity indicative of fictive swim bouts (Figure 1E). We found t.......

Discussion

The experimental protocol described provides the potential to monitor endogenous changes in sensory input across motor behaviors in an intact, behaving vertebrate. Specifically, it details an in vivo approach to performing simultaneous extracellular recordings of lateral line afferent neurons and ventral motor roots in larval zebrafish. Spontaneous afferent activity has been previously characterized in zebrafish without consideration of potential concurrent motor activity^1,

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
100 mL beaker	PYREX	1000	resceptacle for etchant
10x water immersion objective	Olympus	UMPLFLN10xW	low magnification for positioning larvae and recording electrode
40x water immersion objective	Olympus	LUMPLFLN40XW	higher magnification for position electrode tip and establishing patch-clamp
abfload.m		supplemental coding file	custom written MATLAB script for converting raw electrophysiology recordings to .mat files
AffVR_preprocess.m		supplemental coding file	custom written MATLAB script for preprocessing recording data
BNC coaxial cables	ThorLabs	2249-C-12	connecting amplifier and digitizer channels; require 4
borosilicate glass capillaries w/ filament	Warner Instruments	G150F-3	inner diameter: 0.86, outer diameter: 1.50; capillary glass used to form recording electrodes
burst_detect		supplemental coding file	custom written MATLAB function necessary to run AffVR_preprocess.m
computer	N/A	N/A	any computer should work
DC Power Supply	Tenma	72-420	used for electrically etching dissection pins
electrophysiology digitizer	Axon Instruments, Molecular Devices	Axon DigiData 1440A	enables acquisition of patch-clamp data
filament	Sutter Instrument Company	FB255B	2.5 mm box filament used in micropipette puller
fine forceps	Fine Science Tools	Dumont #5 (0.05 x 0.02 mm) Item No. 11295-10	used to manipulate larvae and insert pins
fixed stage DIC microscope	Olympus	BX51WI	microscope used to visualize and establish patch-clamp recordings
flexible, tapered pipette tip	Fisher Scientific	02-707-169	flexible tips enable insertion into recording electrode to dispense extracellular solution at the tip
FluoroDish	World Precision Instruments Inc.	FD3510-100	cover glass bottomed dish recording dish
KimWipe	KimTech	34155	task wipe used for wicking away excess fluid from larvae
Kwik-Gard	World Precision Instruments Inc.	710172	self-mixing sylgard elastomer
MATLAB	MathWorks	R2020b	command line software for preprocessing data
microelectrode amplifier	Axon Instruments, Molecular Devices	MultiClamp 700B	patch clamp amplifier for dual channel recordings
microforge	Narishige	MF-830 microforge	to polish recording electrode
micromanipulator control unit	Siskiyou	MC1000-eR/T	4-axis dial coordinator for controlling micromanipulator
micropipette puller	Sutter Instrument Company	Flaming/Brown P-97	for pulling capillary glass into recording electrodes
microscope control unit	Siskiyou	MC1000e	positions the microscope around the fixed stage and preparation
motorized micromanipulator	Siskiyou	MX7600	positions the headstage and attached recording electrode for patch-clamp recording
MultiClamp Commander	Molecular Devices	2.2.2	downloadable from Axon MultiClamp 700B Commander download page
optical air table	Newport Corporation	VH3036W-OPT	breadboard isolation table to float microscope and minimize vibrations during recordings
pCLAMP	Molecular Devices	10.7.0	downloadable from Axon pCLAMP 10 Electrophysiology Data Acquisition & Analysis Software Download page
permanent ink marker	Sharpie	order from amazon.com	for marking the leading edge side of the VR electrode to ensure proper orientation when inserting into pipette holder
petri-dish	Falcon	35-3001	used to immerse larvae in paralytic
pipette holder	Molecular Devices	1-HL-U	hold recording electrode and connect to the headstage
pneumatic transducer	Fluke Biomedical Instruments	DPM1B	for controlling recording electrode internal pressure
potassium hydroxide	Sigma-Aldrich	221473-25G	etchant for etching dissection pins
silicone tubing	Tygon	14-169-1A	tubing to connect pneumatic transducer to pipette holder
spike_detect		supplemental coding file	custom written MATLAB function necessary to run AffVR_preprocess.m
stereomicroscope	Carl Zeiss	Stemi 2000-C	used to visualize pin tips and during preparation of larvae
straight edge razor blade	Canopus	order from amazon.com	cuts the tungsten wire while making dissection pins
swimbout_detect		supplemental coding file	custom written MATLAB function necessary to run AffVR_preprocess.m
syringe	Becton Dickinson Compoany	309602	filled with extracellular solution to inject into recording electrodes
transfer pipette	Sigma-Aldrich	Z135003-500EA	single use, non-sterile pipette for transfering larvae
tricaine methanesulfonate	Syndel	12854	pharmaceutical aneasthetic used to euthanize larvae with high dosage.
tungsten wire	World Precision Instruments Inc.	715500	0.002 inch, 50.8 μm diameter; used to make dissection pins
vacuum filtration unit	Sigma-Aldrich	SCGVU11RE	single use, sterile, vacuum filtration units used to sterilize extracellular solution used for electrophysiology electrode ringer
voltage-clamp current-clamp headstage	Molecular Devices	CV-7B	supplied with MultiClamp 700B amplifier used as left and right headstages
α-bungarotoxin	ThermoFisher	B1601	for immobilizing the larvae prior to recording