Secreted Reporter Assay Enables Quantitative and Longitudinal Monitoring of Neuronal Activity.

ABSTRACT: The ability to measure changes in neuronal activity in a quantifiable and precise manner is of fundamental importance to understand neuron development and function. Repeated monitoring of neuronal activity of the same population of neurons over several days is challenging and, typically, low-throughput. Here, we describe a new biochemical reporter assay that allows for repeated measurements of neuronal activity in a cell type-specific manner. We coupled activity-dependent elements from the Arc/Arg3.1 gene with a secreted reporter, Gaussia luciferase (Gluc), to quantify neuronal activity without sacrificing the neurons. The reporter predominantly senses calcium and NMDA receptor (NMDAR)-dependent activity. By repeatedly measuring the accumulation of the reporter in cell media,

SUBMITTER: Santos AC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8489021 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep-Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature