Mapping Synapses by Conjugate Light-Electron Array Tomography

• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4274-14.2015
• Publication Date: 2015-04-08T16:35:34Z
• Authors: Forrest Collman; JoAnn Buchanan; Kristen D. Phend; Kristina D. Micheva; Richard J. Weinberg; Stephen J Smith
• Keywords: Conjugate

Synapses of the mammalian CNS are diverse in size, structure, molecular composition, and function. their myriad variations fundamental to neural circuit development, homeostasis, plasticity, memory storage. Unfortunately, quantitative analysis mapping brain's heterogeneous synapse populations has been limited by lack adequate single-synapse measurement methods. Electron microscopy (EM) is definitive means recognize measure individual synaptic contacts, but EM only abilities composition synapses. This report describes conjugate array tomography (AT), a volumetric imaging method that integrates immunofluorescence modalities voxel-conjugate fashion. We illustrate use AT advance proteometric EM-validated study mouse cortex.