RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Long-term two-photon imaging of spinal cord in freely behaving mice
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 2022.01.09.475306
DO 10.1101/2022.01.09.475306
A1 Furong Ju
A1 Wenling Jian
A1 Yaning Han
A1 Tianwen Huang
A1 Jin Ke
A1 Zhiheng Liu
A1 Shengyuan Cai
A1 Nan Liu
A1 Liping Wang
A1 Pengfei Wei
YR 2022
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/01/11/2022.01.09.475306.abstract
AB The spinal cord is critical to the perception of peripheral information under sensory-guided motor behaviors in health and disease. However, the cellular activity underlie spinal cord function in freely behaving animals is not clear. Here, we developed a new method for imaging the spinal cord at cellular and subcellular resolution over weeks under naturalistic conditions. The method involves an improved surgery to reduce spinal movement, and the installation of a miniaturized two-photon microscope to obtain high-resolution imaging in moving mice. In vivo calcium imaging demonstrated that dorsal horn neurons show a sensorimotor program-dependent synchronization and heterogeneity under distinct cutaneous stimuli in behaving mice. The long-term imaging of sensory neurons revealed that in the spinal cord, healthy mice demonstrated stereotyped responses. However, in a neuropathic pain model, plasticity changes and neuronal sensitization were observed. We provide a practical method to study the function of spinal cord on sensory perception and disorders in freely behaving mice.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.