Visualization and manipulation of neuronal ensembles in memory

Naoki Matsuo

Department of Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University

Memories are presumably stored in a specific small subset group of neurons sparsely distributed in the brain in response to various sensory experiences. We have previously developed a transgenic system in mice that allows us a genetic manipulation in those neurons activated by a given behavioral stimulus during a limited time window. The mice express tetracycline-regulated transactivator (tTA) under the control of promoter of the c-fos gene, one of the immediate-early genes whose expression is rapidly and transiently induced in response to neuronal activities. The transgenic system provides a distinctive tool for manipulating the neuronal ensembles in memory. I will introduce approaches to visualize and manipulate the ensembles to address many unanswered questions about memory.

Address correspondence to Dr. Naoki Matsuo, Department of Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University (2-2 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan)