Genotyping protocols for DREADD-expressing mice--where to find them?
Protocols and other detailed items are generally found on the DREADD resource wiki page If there is a protocol you would like (or like to see edited) please let us know.
Posts
DREADDs, feeding and a useful Cre-driver line
There are now many papers demonstrating bidirectional, cell-type-specific control of feeding behavior using DREADDs (see Sternson and Roth, in press and Wess et al for reviews) so why highlight yet another one? Here the authors create a useful new Cre-driver line ( orexin-Cre ) which will may be useful. Of note apparently only 30% of neurons are essential for driving behavior....
DREADD-mediated control of IPS-derived neurons in vivo
An interesting paper out today that I've been hearing about regarding bidirectional control of transplanted DA neurons in a Parkinson's Disease model.
DREADDs in astrocytes
There are now papers appearing (and more in the near future most likely) where hM3Dq has been used to "activate" astrocyte Ca++ release. In some cases the effects are quite striking and suggest a pleiotropic role of astrocytes in regulating neuronal activity throughout the neurax is . There also is a nice paper suggesting a role of astrocytic Ca++ in ETOH self-administration .
How best to dissolve CNO ...it depends on what it is soluble in (and that depends on the particular polymorph)
I recently received the following question: " My question is with regard to the use of CNO in drinking water (in mouse studies). Your recipe calls for the addition of a small amount of DMSO to dissolve CNO at a concentration of 5 mg in 200 mL. As we and others routinely dissolve CNO in 0.9% saline (no DMSO) at concentrations up to four times this amount, I am curious whether the addition of DMSO to CNO solutions for H2O drinking is critical, or whether the properties of CNO permit it's direct dissolution in H2O at concentrations from 5-20 mg per 200 mL. There appears to be no difficulty dissolving such concentrations in H2O in my hands, but I would prefer to hear your perspective. Is there a published reference for the solubility profile of CNO in H2O or 0.9% saline?" It basically depends upon the source of the CNO. CNO via the NIH RAID program (which is what we use) is not readily soluble in H20 while commercial CNO is. Although we've verified that both source...
Alexander 'Sasha' Shulgin ==RIP
For those of you who are interested in psychopharmacology and it's history, I note the passing of Alexander 'Sasha' Shulgin . Although he was not active in science for many years in the 1960's he published several intriguing structure-activity papers in Nature and elsewhere ...