Imaging neuronal activity with calcium indicators in larval zebrafish

INTRODUCTIONThe ability to image neuronal activity with single-cell resolution in fish is a powerful tool for investigating the neuronal basis of behavior in normal and mutant lines of fish. This protocol describes a method for using calcium indicators to monitor neuronal activity in transparent larval zebrafish. The imaging process involves collecting a confocal time series from the cells of interest. The behavior of interest is elicited during the time series to determine whether the cells increase in intensity in association with the behavior.