Optical cleaning method of living animal skull for 2photon imaging

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K13376
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Optical engineering, Photon science
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Onodera Hiroshi 東京大学, 大学院工学系研究科(工学部), 特任教授 (20214207)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 臓器透明化 / 神経科学 / 情報伝達機構

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of this study is to clarify skull bone of mice in order to analyze neuronal network in the cerebral cortex of living animal. First, we successfully optically cleaned mouse skull bone in vitro by using cleaning agent LUCID-vivo. Then we applied the LUCID-vivo solution on living mouse skull bone for 24 hours. We could observe cerebral cortex and blood vessels on the cortex through transparent skull bones. Neuronal networks of the cerebral cortex were visualized by using transgenic mice (GCAMP). This method can be applicable for many research fields, such as memory, motor function, sensory function, and emotion.

Free Research Field

生命科学