Imaging postsynaptic activities of teleost thalamic neurons at single cell resolution using a voltage-sensitive dye

Optical recording of neuronal activities using voltage-sensitive dyes (VSDs) is a useful method for simultaneous multi-site recording. However, it has been rather difficult to distinguish optical signals from individual, identified cells. We applied the optical recording technique using a high-speed charge coupled device (CCD) imaging system to a teleost thalamic nucleus, corpus glomerulosum (CG) which has a well-defined histological organization and large postsynaptic dendrites. Patch-like dye (di-4-ANEPPS) signals were observed in the dendritic layer of the CG in response to afferent nerve stimulations. These responses were completely blocked by an alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-proprionate (AMPA) receptor antagonist, did not propagate, and the size of the patches were close to that of a single dendritic tip of the 'large cell'. Thus, we found that these patch-like VSD signals most likely represent postsynaptic potentials at individual dendritic tips of the large cells.