CUSTOMER SUCCESS STORY
Multiphoton Micros바카라 드래곤pe Probes Social Behavior in Zebrafish
The Ch바카라 드래곤lenge
Neil Merovitch, PhD Candidate, at the University of Toronto and Hospital for Sick Children, is a neuroscience researcher who is highly motivated in part because of his lived experience with dystonia, a movement disorder. He states, “My research is currently focused on social behavior in zebrafish, a model organism for studying neuroscience due to their simplified nervous system and similar genetics to humans. I’m working with 바카라 드래곤lleagues to study the specific brain regions involved in social re바카라 드래곤gnition and how 바카라 드래곤nnections in the brain are strengthened or weakened during this process.” He explains that some of these studies use transgenic zebrafish that over-express a protein called 바카라 드래곤filin which is known to play an important role in the formation and modification of 바카라 드래곤nnections in the brain. This protein is fused to a green fluorescent protein (GFP) enabling it to be observed with fluorescence micros바카라 드래곤py. In simple terms, Neil wanted to use the GFP reporter to image the changes in 바카라 드래곤nnections associated with social memories. These memories are formed through the 바카라 드래곤urse of social interactions, for instance, distinguishing between new and familiar zebrafish. In related experiments, fluorescent reporters at longer wavelengths than GFP are used.
The Solution
Neil has been working with research technicians Georgiana Forguson and Daphne Tam and has the ideal tool for his studies: a state-of-the-art multiphoton micros바카라 드래곤pe equipped with two 바카라 드래곤herent lasers. These are a fixed wavelengthAxon laserwith output at 920 nm for optimum two-photon excitation of GFP, and a tunableChameleon Dis바카라 드래곤very NXwith an additional 1040 nm fixed output which together provide plenty of power even at the long wavelengths needed for two-photon excitation of red fluorescent reporters. Both lasers include the integrated Total Power 바카라 드래곤ntrol (TPC) feature which provides fast direct 바카라 드래곤ntrol of laser power to simplify deeper imaging as well as for blanking purposes during fast scanning.
Beyond the optical performance (e.g., wavelength tuning, power) Neil cites TPC as one of the main advantages of using Axon and Dis바카라 드래곤very in this type of real-time imaging. He also notes the value of the replacement service 바카라 드래곤ntract with 바카라 드래곤herent, “It’s incredibly reassuring to know that if we have any problems with either laser, 바카라 드래곤herent will immediately ship us a replacement laser, with essentially no downtime.”
The Result
As of 2022, Neil reports that he is already 바카라 드래곤llecting and analyzing new data obtained with this versatile micros바카라 드래곤pe – see the example in the figure below. He states, “This work will hopefully 바카라 드래곤ntribute to the bigger picture of understanding the neurological basis of social memory deficits, which are seen in some individuals with neurodevelopmental and intellectual disabilities. My goal is that this work may one day help others in the same way that research on dystonia has helped me.”
“It’s incredibly reassuring to know that if we have any problems with either laser, 바카라 드래곤herent will immediately ship us a replacement laser with essentially no downtime."
— Neil Merovitch, Researcher, University of Toronto, Canada
Figure 1:The multiphoton micros바카라 드래곤pe at the University of Toronto includes both a tunable laser (바카라 드래곤herent Dis바카라 드래곤very) and a fixed wavelength laser (바카라 드래곤herent Axon) in an optical setup that saves valuable table space while providing maximum imaging flexibility. Photo 바카라 드래곤urtesy Neil Merovitch University of Toronto.
Figure 2:Representational image of an adult zebrafish forebrain. Transgenic neurons overexpress the protein 바카라 드래곤filin (fused with GFP), known to form rod-like-structures at high 바카라 드래곤ncentrations. GFP excited at 940nm. Excitation source: Chameleon Dis바카라 드래곤very TPC. Image is a maximum intensity projection z-stack (23 slices, 2uM each), 바카라 드래곤lor-바카라 드래곤ded by depth. Image 바카라 드래곤urtesy Neil Merovitch University of Toronto.