Engineered Rabies Virus for Transsynaptic Circuit Tracing

Transsynaptic tracing using modified rabies virus (RV) is a powerful new technology in neuroscience that allows for visualization of targeted neurons and their synaptic connections. Here, we describe how a genetically engineered version of RV can be used for transsynaptic tracing studies of mammalian neuronal cells by providing protocols for viral isolation, propagation, pseudotyping, and concentration. The resulting genetically modified RV shows neuronal infectivity both in vitro and in vivo. Once the target neuron has been infected, the RV replicates and “jumps” presynaptically to connected neurons to provide a visual map of synaptic connectivity.
Source: Springer protocols feed by Neuroscience - Category: Neuroscience Source Type: news