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Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Two-photon Calcium Imaging in Neuronal Dendrites in Brain Slices

Two-photon Calcium Imaging in Neuronal Dendrites in Brain Slices

Published on: March 15, 2018

New angles on neuronal dendrites in vivo.

Werner Göbel¹, Fritjof Helmchen

¹Department of Neurophysiology, Brain Research Institute, Winterthurerstr 190, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland.

Journal of Neurophysiology

|September 28, 2007

Summary

Novel two-photon microscopy scanning modes allow in vivo imaging of neuronal dendrites. These techniques overcome orientation challenges, enabling detailed studies of dendritic activity and calcium dynamics in the central nervous system (CNS).

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Biomedical Imaging
Cellular Biology

Background:

Neuronal dendrites are crucial for synaptic integration in the central nervous system (CNS).
In vivo imaging of dendrites is challenging due to their perpendicular orientation to tissue surfaces.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce novel laser-scanning modes for two-photon microscopy to enable in vivo imaging of dendritic activity.
To overcome limitations in imaging dendrites with challenging orientations.

Main Methods:

Development of arbitrary 3D plane imaging for two-photon microscopy.
Application of free linescans for imaging multiple or single vertically oriented dendrites.
Invention of a ribbon-type 3D scanning method for imaging convoluted planes.

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Last Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Two-photon Calcium Imaging in Neuronal Dendrites in Brain Slices

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Published on: March 15, 2018

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Main Results:

Successfully imaged calcium activity in rat cerebellar cortex dendrites (Purkinje cells, parallel fibers) using arbitrary plane imaging.
Revealed fast dendritic calcium dynamics in neocortical pyramidal neurons using free linescans.
Enabled simultaneous calcium signal measurements along multiple apical dendrites with the ribbon-type scanning method.

Conclusions:

The novel scanning modes significantly enhance the capability of in vivo optical probing of dendritic function.
These advancements facilitate detailed investigation of dendritic integration and neuronal activity patterns.