Calcium imaging in spinal cord slices and in vivo spinal cord using calcium-sensitive fluorescent protein

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K15565
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Anesthesiology
• Research Institution: Niigata University
• Principal Investigator: Kamiya Yoshinori 新潟大学, 医歯学総合病院, 特任教授 (90381491)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): SHIBUKI Katsuei 新潟大学, 脳研究所, 教授 (40146163) ; TAKEBAYASHI Hirohide 新潟大学, 医歯学系, 教授 (60353439)
• Research Collaborator: SASAKI Mika
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: カルシウムイメージング / 遺伝子導入 / 疼痛メカニズム / 脊髄後角 / 一次知覚神経

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we aimed to introduce calcium-sensitive fluorescent protein into the spinal dorsal horn and/or dorsal root ganglia (DRG) using adeno-associated virus vector (AAV) to measure the neural activity in the spinal dorsal horn two-dimensionally. We found that the AAV vector inoculated intrathecal cavity seemed to express TurboRFP, which is a marker protein, both in the spinal cord dorsal horn and DRG 1 to 2 weeks after administration. However, due to limitations of immunohistological techniques, we could not be confirmed that the transgene-derived protein was definitely expressed in spinal dorsal horn and DRG. Therefore, it did not reach the result of the physiological experiment that was planned ahead.

Free Research Field

麻酔科学、神経科学