利用嗜神经病毒跨突触追踪神经网络研究进展

Advancement in neurotropic virus-mediated trans-synaptic neural circuit tracing

解析大脑神经网络的连接图谱是认识大脑功能的前提。发展追踪大脑神经环路结构的技术,已成为神经科学研究中的迫切需求。基于嗜神经病毒发展而来的跨突触追踪技术,是揭示大脑神经网络结构的最有效手段,也是神经科学研究中发展十分迅速的领域。不同的嗜神经病毒类型或毒株,都有其独特的分子生物学特性、跨突触标记特性、改造方式。通过使用遗传重组改造的嗜神经病毒追踪神经环路,可以获得特定区域或特定类型神经元多级输出网络、输入网络及单级输入或输出网络。主要介绍神经科学研究中常用的神经病毒及相关的辅助工具病毒特性,及嗜神经病毒介导的各种神经回路标记技术。

Developing the technology to dissect the brain circuits became urgent in neuroscience to understand the brain functions. The technology for neurotropic virus-mediated trans-synaptic tracing has developed rapidly and becomes the most effective technology for revealing the structure of the brain circuit to date. Various neurotropic viruses have its own molecular features, trans-synaptic characteristic and strategy of recombination. The genetic recombinants of the neurotropic viruses enable us to dissect the input and output circuits of specific brain region or cell type of the neurons at multiple or single step of synaptic connections. This review summarizes the fundamental characteristic of these neurotropic viruses and related helper viral vectors, as well as the recent advancement in studies of neural circuits using these neurotropic viruses.