Identifying Striatal Neurons in Mice Using Nuclear Staining
Author Information
Author(s): Matamales Miriam, Bertran-Gonzalez Jesus, Salomon Lucas, Degos Bertrand, Deniau Jean-Michel, Valjent Emmanuel, Hervé Denis, Girault Jean-Antoine
Primary Institution: Inserm UMR-S 839, Paris, France
Hypothesis
Can nuclear staining effectively identify different populations of striatal neurons in BAC transgenic mice?
Conclusion
Nuclear staining is a reliable method for identifying medium-sized spiny neurons and other striatal neuron types.
Supporting Evidence
- More than 95% of striatal neurons are GABAergic medium-sized spiny neurons (MSNs).
- All MSNs in double transgenic mice expressed EGFP.
- Nuclear staining allowed for accurate identification of MSNs and interneurons.
- All striatonigral neurons were found to express D1R.
- Only a very small fraction of retrogradely labeled neurons in drd2-EGFP mice expressed EGFP.
Takeaway
Scientists found a way to see different types of brain cells in mice by looking at their nuclei, which helps them understand how these cells work.
Methodology
The study involved using BAC transgenic mice and nuclear staining to identify and quantify striatal neurons.
Limitations
The study may not generalize to other brain regions outside the striatum.
Participant Demographics
All animals were male 7- to 8-week old mice.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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