In-vivo RGB marking and multicolour single-cell tracking in the adult brain

TY - JOUR

T1 - In-vivo RGB marking and multicolour single-cell tracking in the adult brain

AU - Gomez-Nicola, Diego

AU - Riecken, Kristoffer

AU - Fehse, Boris

AU - Perry, V Hugh

PY - 2014/12/22

Y1 - 2014/12/22

N2 - In neuroscience it is a technical challenge to identify and follow the temporal and spatial distribution of cells as they differentiate. We hypothesised that RGB marking, the tagging of individual cells with unique hues resulting from simultaneous expression of the three basic colours red, green and blue, provides a convenient toolbox for the study of the CNS anatomy at the single-cell level. Using γ-retroviral and lentiviral vector sets we describe for the first time the in-vivo multicolour RGB marking of neurons in the adult brain. RGB marking also enabled us to track the spatial and temporal fate of neural stem cells in the adult brain. The application of different viral envelopes and promoters provided a useful approach to track the generation of neurons vs. glial cells at the neurogenic niche, allowing the identification of the prominent generation of new astrocytes to the striatum. Multicolour RGB marking could serve as a universal and reproducible method to study and manipulate the CNS at the single-cell level, in both health and disease.

AB - In neuroscience it is a technical challenge to identify and follow the temporal and spatial distribution of cells as they differentiate. We hypothesised that RGB marking, the tagging of individual cells with unique hues resulting from simultaneous expression of the three basic colours red, green and blue, provides a convenient toolbox for the study of the CNS anatomy at the single-cell level. Using γ-retroviral and lentiviral vector sets we describe for the first time the in-vivo multicolour RGB marking of neurons in the adult brain. RGB marking also enabled us to track the spatial and temporal fate of neural stem cells in the adult brain. The application of different viral envelopes and promoters provided a useful approach to track the generation of neurons vs. glial cells at the neurogenic niche, allowing the identification of the prominent generation of new astrocytes to the striatum. Multicolour RGB marking could serve as a universal and reproducible method to study and manipulate the CNS at the single-cell level, in both health and disease.

U2 - 10.1038/srep07520

DO - 10.1038/srep07520

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 25531807

VL - 4

SP - 7520

JO - SCI REP-UK

JF - SCI REP-UK

SN - 2045-2322

ER -