Optogenetic precision toolkit to reveal form, function and connectivity of single neurons.

Abstract

All-optical methods enable the control and monitoring of neuronal activity with minimal perturbation of the system. Although imaging and optogenetic manipulations can be performed at cellular resolution, the morphology of single cells in a dense neuronal population has often remained unresolvable. Here we describe in detail two recently established optogenetic protocols for systematic description of function and morphology of single neurons in zebrafish. First, the Optobow toolbox allows unbiased mapping of excitatory functional connectivity. Second, the FuGIMA technique enables selective labeling and anatomical tracing of neurons that are responsive to a given sensory stimulus or correlated with a specific behavior. Both strategies can be genetically targeted to a neuronal population of choice using the Gal4/UAS system. As these in vivo approaches are non-invasive, we envision useful applications for the study of neuronal structure, function and connectivity during development and behavior.