Nanoscopy of visual cortex plasticity
(B07*)
Subject Area
Molecular Biology and Physiology of Neurons and Glial Cells
Cognitive, Systems and Behavioural Neurobiology
Term
from 2015 to 2018
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 154113120
Synapses are the most basic functional unit in the brain. For excitatory synapses, which are mainly formed on small dendritic protrusions, the dendritic spines, changes in synaptic transmission correlate with changes in spine morphology. Due to the minute size of dendritic spines fine morphological details cannot be visualized with conventional light microscopy. We will use STED microscopy, a novel light microscopy technique with sub-diffraction limited resolution, to image morphological changes of spines and actin cytoskeleton in the visual cortex of living mice. We will evoke activity-dependent changes by dark exposure and explore spine plasticity.
DFG Programme
Collaborative Research Centres
