>Congratulations to Dr. Kevin J. Otto, associate professor, Janak Gaire, Ph.D. neuroscience student, and co-workers whose manuscript entitled “PrismPlus: a mouse line expressing distinct fluorophores in four different brain cell types” was recently published in Scientific Reports.

>This publication describes the generation and evaluation of a transgenic mouse with four separate genetically encoded fluorophores. These cell-specific markers detail all major cell types in the brain, enabling visualization of the individual cells via standard fluorescence microscopy. These mice will enable basic and translational neuroscience studies to understand neural diseases and/or injuries, as well as to develop therapies for these afflictions.

>Fluorescence imaging is the visualization of fluorescent dyes or proteins as labels for molecular processes or structures. It enables a wide range of experimental observations including the location and dynamics of gene expression, protein expression and molecular interactions in cells and tissues.

>The team demonstrates the compatibility of PrismPlus brain tissue with CLARITY, an advanced tissue-clearing technique, opening the door to future thick tissue imaging studies. The work herein seeks to establish a novel transgenic mouse line to improve experimental scope, consistency, and efficiency for CNS researchers. Initial studies demonstrate the response of the brain to chronically implanted neural micro-devices, which are clinically used to enable brain-machine interfaces for quadriplegic or locked-in patients.

>Co-workers include:

·       Dr. Heui Chang Lee, postdoctoral associate, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas

·       Ray Ward, undergraduate student, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida

·       Seth Currlin, Ph.D. student, Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine

·       Dr. Andrew J. Woolley, Senior Scientist II, AbbVie

·       Dr. Jason E. Coleman, assistant professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine

·       Dr. Justin C. Williams, professor & Department Chairperson, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison