Recent Advances in Fluorescent Indicators to Study Neural Dynamics Across Different Scales

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Background

One of the most sought-after goals in Neuroscience is to identify how computations emerge from synaptic, cellular and network dynamics to guide behavior. Achieving this scientific goal requires first achieving a technical goal: we must have a means of observing the activity of cellular processes and ultimately of large numbers of neurons at high spatial and temporal resolution. The relative ease of controlling light in time and space, in parallel to advances in organic chemistry and protein engineering, has catalyzed the development of an abundance of optics-based experimental techniques that provide peerless tractability into this overarching technical goal. Chemical and genetically encoded fluorescent probes that allow the imaging of specific ions, neurotransmitters, voltage, or the activity of signaling pathways and metabolic states in neural tissue in vivo continue to be developed at a high pace. Chief among these developments is the ability to image Ca2+ with high spatial and temporal resolution, which has led to a spectacular increase in our understandings of the role of Ca2+ as a signaling molecule in its own right, but which has also served as a compelling proxy of neuronal spiking. As an alternative to high-density electrophysiological recordings, this approach has allowed us to link networks dynamics and computations of identified cell types and brain circuits with complex behaviors in several model organisms.

This research topic seeks contributions that either present new techniques or that synthesize key findings or experimental formalisms in this expanding field. In particular, we seek research papers concerned with: 1) the use and development of chemical and genetically encoded Calcium indicators (GECIs) and Voltage indicators (GEVIs), including the development of new indicators with distinct spectral characteristics; 2) describing technical approaches to optically monitor populations of neurons within or across brain regions in freely-behaving animals; 3) statistical and modeling approaches to improve signal detection and inference of imaging data (e.g., deconvolution methods); 4) strategies that allow experimental multiplexing of readouts (e.g., optical detection of neurotransmitter release along with simultaneous Ca2+imaging). Reports that document strengths but also limitations (e.g., with calibrating parameters) of these overall approaches are particularly encouraged to be submitted.

We ask for submission of either a full-length Original Research Article, Brief Research Report, Review (mini or full-length), or Perspective exploring imaging methods to study cellular and circuits dynamics. We seek to provide the field with a repertoire of technical and conceptual resources to facilitate research progress in this expanding corner of Neuroscience.

Keywords: Calcium imaging, fluorescence, behaviour, cognition, genetically encoded calcium indicators, genetically encoded voltage indicators, neurons, fluorescent indicators, model organisms

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