Seeing Is Believing GFP Transgenics Illuminate Synapse Elimination

BDNF stabilizes synapses and maintains the structural complexity of optic axons in vivo.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) modulates synaptic connectivity by increasing synapse number and by promoting activity-dependent axon arbor growth. Patterned neuronal activity is also thought to influence the morphological maturation of axonal arbors by directly influencing the stability of developing synapses. Here, we used in vivo time-lapse imaging to examine the relationship betwee...

Thallium 201 myocardial imaging. Seeing is believing--believing what?

Asynchronous Synapse Elimination in Neonatal Motor Units Studies Using GFP Transgenic Mice

In developing muscle, synapse elimination reduces the number of motor axons that innervate each postsynaptic cell. This loss of connections is thought to be a consequence of axon branch trimming. However, branch retraction has not been observed directly, and many questions remain, such as: do all motor axons retract branches, are eliminated branches withdrawn synchronously, and are withdrawing ...

RNA Fluorescence with Light-Up Aptamers

Seeing is not only believing; it also includes understanding. Cellular imaging with GFP in live cells has been transformative in many research fields. Modulation of cellular regulation is tightly regulated and innovative imaging technologies contribute to further understand cellular signaling and physiology. New types of genetically encoded biosensors have been developed over the last decade. T...

Seeing is Believing: The Future of Molecular and Biomolecular Imaging