Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.
Subscribe

Sci. STKE, 18 March 2003
Vol. 2003, Issue 174, p. pl6
[DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.1742003pl6]

PROTOCOLS

In Vivo Calcium Imaging of Brain Activity in Drosophila by Transgenic Cameleon Expression

André Fiala* and Thomas Spall

Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Theodor Boveri-Institut für Biowissenschaften, Lehrstuhl für Genetik und Neurobiologie, Biozentrum, Am Hubland 97074, Würzburg, Germany

Abstract: Various genetically encoded fluorescent sensors that monitor changes in intracellular calcium concentration have been developed over the last few years. The ability to target these calcium indicators to cells and structures of interest makes them valuable tools for diverse applications and gives them distinct advantages over conventional fluorescent dyes in transgenically tractable organisms. In particular, the cameleon calcium sensors have been used successfully in a number of applications. For example, we use cameleon-2.1 to monitor in vivo brain activity in Drosophila. However, using cameleons to image intracellular calcium concentration changes in vivo is still evolving and is by no means a standard technique. Experimental details and "tricks" for dealing with equipment, techniques, and data evaluation are still restricted to a few laboratories. In this protocol for calcium imaging in Drosophila brain using cameleon-2.1, we provide guidelines to the basic principles of this novel technique in Drosophila neuroscience and, more generally, to the broad field of signal transduction research.

*Corresponding author. Telephone: +49-931-888-4482, fax: +49-931-888-4452, e-mail:afiala{at}biozentrum.uni-wuerzburg.de.

Citation: A. Fiala, T. Spall, In Vivo Calcium Imaging of Brain Activity in Drosophila by Transgenic Cameleon Expression. Sci. STKE 2003, pl6 (2003).

Read the Full Text

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Imaging cellular signals in the heart in vivo: Cardiac expression of the high-signal Ca2+ indicator GCaMP2.
Y. N. Tallini, M. Ohkura, B.-R. Choi, G. Ji, K. Imoto, R. Doran, J. Lee, P. Plan, J. Wilson, H.-B. Xin, et al. (2006)
PNAS 103, 4753-4758
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »

To Advertise     Find Products

Science Signaling. ISSN 1937-9145 (online), 1945-0877 (print). Pre-2008: Science's STKE. ISSN 1525-8882