By Veronique Greenwood, Technology Review
Scientists have created exquisitely detailed maps of parts of the mouse brain by combining anatomical information with knowledge of what the different nerve cells do. By infusing cells with fluorescent dye, teams at Harvard Medical School and the Max Plank Institute for Medical Research pinpointed neurons in the mouse visual cortex and retina that responded to specific stimuli, like a beam of light moving in different directions. They then sliced the tissue and used electron microscopy, which can image some of the tiniest structures in cells, to map the connections between the neurons. Armed with knowledge of both how the cells connect and what they do, the teams gained insights into how the brain works.
http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/36956/?p1=A4&a=f
Share on Facebook