Light Imaging Core Facility

National Institute Of Neurological Disorders And Stroke

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The LIF maintains five laser scanning confocal microscopes that scientists use to visualize samples labeled with fluorescent molecules. Confocal microscopes are designed to capture thin optical sections of fluorescent samples, thereby providing crisp images even in thick samples. Two of the Facility's confocal microscopes incorporate techniques that provide superior resolution (30 or 150 nm) compared to conventional confocal microscopes (>250 nm). The enhanced resolution allows visualization of structures that are too small to be resolved by conventional confocal imaging, such as secretory vesicles and synapses. The LIF also maintains workstations for image processing and analysis. The Facility manager maintains the equipment, trains and assists users, and is available for consultation about projects involving light microscopy, whether carried out with equipment in the LIF or in individual laboratories. The aim of the LIF is to meet the imaging needs of NINDS scientists as efficiently and successfully as possible and to encourage trainees to acquire the expertise needed to effectively employ light microscopy in their research. To the extent possible, the LIF is open to scientists in the Porter Center who could benefit by access to it regardless of whether they are affiliated with NINDS. Dr. Smith collaborates with members of the Laboratory of Neurobiology (NINDS) and the laboratory of Dr. Adriano Senatore, University of Toronto, Canada, on research aimed at understanding the evolutionary origins of neurons and nervous systems. The work focuses on a species of Placozoa, an early-diverging metazoan phylum. Placozoans lack a nervous system but possess peptidergic sensory cells that perform functions analogous to those of neurons and are thought to be the evolutionary precursors of neurons. One measure of the success of the LIF is the number and quality of the publications resulting from work accomplished by scientists that use Facility resources. Publications resulting from work during the period of this report are listed below. Bunker, E.N., T.D. Fischer, P.-P. Zhu, F. Le Guerroué, and R.J. Youle. 2025. TNIP1 and Autophagy Receptors regulate STING Signaling. bioRxiv. doi:10.1101/2025.04.21.649822. Chen, L., L.L. Dong, H. Shin, F. Shahid, T. Malone, Y. Ma, S.O. Vasu, N.-W. Tien, K. Cekada, L. Anderson, S. Chandra, I. Fiete, V.A. Alvarez, and Y. Gu. 2025. Slow synaptic plasticity from the hippocampus underlies gradual mapping and fragmentation of novel spaces by grid cells. bioRxiv. 2025.07.30.667696. doi:10.1101/2025.07.30.667696. Fischer, T.D., E.N. Bunker, P.P. Zhu, F. Le Guerroué, M. Hadjian, E. Dominguez-Martin, F. Scavone, R. Cohen, T. Yao, Y. Wang, A. Werner, and R.J. Youle. 2025. STING induces HOIP-mediated synthesis of M1 ubiquitin chains to stimulate NF-κB signaling. EMBO Journal. 44:141–165. doi:10.1038/s44318-024-00291-2. Ghitani, N., L.J. von Buchholtz, D.I. MacDonald, M. Falgairolle, M.Q. Nguyen, J.A. Licholai, N.J.P. Ryba, and A.T. Chesler. 2025. A distributed coding logic for thermosensation and inflammatory pain. Nature. 642:1016–1023. doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08875-6. Hsu, M.C., H. Kinefuchi, L. Lei, R. Kikuchi, K. Yamano, and R.J. Youle. 2025. Mitochondrial YME1L1 governs unoccupied protein translocase channels. Nat Cell Biol. 27:309–321. doi:10.1038/s41556-024-01571-z. Keary, K.M., and Z. Li. 2025. Protocol for preparing mouse hippocampal slices for ex vivo recordings of the temporoammonic pathway. STAR Protoc. 6. doi:10.1016/j.xpro.2025.103698. Lehr, A.W., T.A. Nguyen, W. Han, E. Hong, J.D. Badger, W. Lu, and K.W. Roche. 2025. Phosphorylation of NLGN4X Regulates Spinogenesis and Synaptic Function. eNeuro. 12. doi:10.1523/ENEURO.0278-23.2025. Leung, J.M., E. Nagayasu, Y.C. Hwang, J. Liu, P.G. Pierce, I.Q. Phan, R.A. Prentice, J.M. Murray, and K. Hu. 2020. A doublecortin-domain protein of Toxoplasma and its orthologues bind to and modify the structure and organization of tubulin polymers. BMC Mol Cell Biol. 21. doi:10.1186/s12860-020-0249-5. Lin, H.P., J.D. Petersen, A.J. Gilsrud, A. Madruga, T.M. D’Silva, X. Huang, M.K. Shammas, N.P. Randolph, K.R. Johnson, Y. Li, D.R. Jones, M.E. Pacold, and D.P. Narendra. 2024. DELE1 maintains muscle proteostasis to promote growth and survival in mitochondrial myopathy. EMBO Journal. 43:5548–5585. doi:10.1038/S44318-024-00242-X,. Malone, T.J., N.W. Tien, Y. Ma, L. Cui, S. Lyu, G. Wang, D. Nguyen, K. Zhang, M. V. Myroshnychenko, J. Tyan, J.A. Gordon, D.A. Kupferschmidt, and Y. Gu. 2024. A consistent map in the medial entorhinal cortex supports spatial memory. Nature Communications 2024 15:1. 15:1–22. doi:10.1038/s41467-024-45853-4. Nath, A., W.N. Grimes, and J.S. Diamond. 2023. Layers of inhibitory networks shape receptive field properties of AII amacrine cells. Cell Rep. 42. doi:10.1016/J.CELREP.2023.113390. Rosenthal, J.S., D. Zhang, J. Yin, C. Long, G. Yang, Y. Li, Z. Lu, W.P. Li, Z. Yu, J. Li, and Q. Yuan. 2025. Molecular organization of central cholinergic synapses. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 122:e2422173122. doi:10.1073/PNAS.2422173122. Sansalone, L., R.C. Evans, E. Twedell, R. Zhang, and Z.M. Khaliq. 2024a. Corticonigral projections recruit substantia nigra pars lateralis dopaminergic neurons for auditory threat memories. bioRxiv. 2024.11.04.621665. doi:10.1101/2024.11.04.621665. Sansalone, L., R.C. Evans, E. Twedell, R. Zhang, and Z.M. Khaliq. 2024b. Corticonigral projections recruit substantia nigra pars lateralis dopaminergic neurons for auditory threat memories. bioRxiv. doi:10.1101/2024.11.04.621665. Schierwater, B., D. de Jong, and R. DeSalle. 2009. Placozoa and the evolution of Metazoa and intrasomatic cell differentiation. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 41:370–379. doi:10.1016/J.BIOCEL.2008.09.023. Thayer, J.A., J.D. Petersen, X. Huang, J. Hawrot, D.M. Ramos, S. Sekine, Y. Li, M.E. Ward, and D.P. Narendra. 2025. Novel reporter of the PINK1-Parkin mitophagy pathway identifies its damage sensor in the import gate. bioRxiv. 2025.02.19.639160. doi:10.1101/2025.02.19.639160. Wang, X., G. Arpino, A. Mohseni, C.K.E. Bleck, and L.G. Wu. 2025. Dense-core vesicles contain exosomes in secretory cells. Biophys J. 124:1747–1752. doi:10.1016/j.bpj.2025.01.003 Yin, J., H.-L. Chen, A. Grigsby-Brown, Y. He, M.L. Cotten, J. Short, A. Dermady, J. Lei, M. Gibbs, E.S. Cheng, D. Zhang, C. Long, J. Tabet, L. Xu, T. Zhong, R. Abzalimov, M. Haider, R. Sun, Y. He, Q. Zhou, N. Tjandra, and Q. Yuan. 2025a. Glia-derived noncanonical fatty acid binding protein modulates brain lipid storage and clearance. Sci Adv. 11:2902. doi:10.1126/SCIADV.ADV2902. Yin, J., H.-L. Chen, A. Grigsby-Brown, Y. He, M.L. Cotten, J. Short, A. Dermady, J. Lei, M. Gibbs, E.S. Cheng, D. Zhang, C. Long, J. Tabet, L. Xu, T. Zhong, R. Abzalimov, M. Haider, R. Sun, Y. He, Q. Zhou, N. Tjandra, and Q. Yuan. 2025b. Glia-derived noncanonical fatty acid binding protein modulates brain lipid storage and clearance. Sci Adv. 11. doi:10.1126/SCIADV.ADV2902.