Transgenic expression of enhanced green fluorescent protein enables direct visualization for physiological studies of vasopressin neurons and isolated nerve terminals of the rat

Yoichi Ueta
Hiroaki Fujihara
Ryota Serino
Govindan Dayanithi
Hitoshi Ozawa
Ken-Ichi Matsuda
Mitsuhiro Kawata
Junko Yamada
Shinya Ueno
Atsuo Fukuda
David Murphy

We have generated transgenic rats expressing an arginine vasopressin (AVP)-enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) fusion gene. The expression of the eGFP gene and strong fluorescence were observed in the supraoptic nucleus (SON)
 the paraventricular nucleus (PVN)
 and the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in transgenic rats. The hypothalamoneurohypophyseal tract
 isolated SON neurons
 and isolated axon terminals in the neurohypophysis also showed robust eGFP fluorescence. Water deprivation for 2 d increased the fluorescence of the eGFP in the SON and the PVN but not the SCN. The whole-cell patch-clamp technique was then used to record the electrical activities specifically identifying eGFP-expressing SON
 PVN
 and SCN AVP neurons in in vitro brain slice preparations. The AVP-eGFP transgenic rats are a unique new tool with which to study the physiological role of AVP-secreting neurons in the central nervous system and the dynamics of the regulation of AVP secretion in the living neurons and their axon terminals.

Endocrinology

146

1

10.1210/en.2004-0830

https://doi.org/10.1210/en.2004-0830
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15375027