top of page
Connecting Dots

TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES

How we find answers.

Mission

Approaches

Invertebrates 

-We are parsing out inhibitory interneuron subclasses we use: in vivo labeling of gene expression (HRC) to localize cell subtypes, synaptic protein expression (synaptosomes and synapse tagging assays in vitro) and electrophysiological properties (patching cultured inhibitory interneurons).

-We are mapping the connectivity from the retina to the optic lobe using tracing strategies, so that it can be manipulated to examine function. 

 

Vertebrates

-We use chemogenetic approaches to manipulate neuronal activity and examine changes in neuronal glial connectivity using viral circuit tracing 

-We study myelination in vitro with a neuronal glial co culture system and in vivo using staining and QLIPP anisotropy

-We study neuronal glial synapse formation in vitro using co culture synapse formation assays, in slice with patch clamp electrophysiology, and in vivo with synaptic marker labeling.

-We perturb synapse formation to examine changes in glial development and myelination using neuroligin adhesion protein deletion experiments. 

-We analyze changes in downstream signaling in glial cells when synapse function is perturbed 

Vision

This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to start editing the content and make sure to add any relevant details or information that you want to share with your visitors.

  • X

© 2024 by Laura Cocas, PhD

bottom of page