Intracellular chloride ([Cl−] i ) and pH (pH i ) are fundamental regulators of neuronal excitability. They exert wide-ranging effects on synaptic signaling and plasticity and on development and disorders of the brain. The ideal technique to elucidate the underlying ionic mechanisms is quantitative and combined two-photon imaging of [Cl − ] i and pH i , but this has never been performed at the cellular level in vivo. Here, by using a genetically encoded fluorescent sensor that includes a spectroscopic reference (an element insensitive to Cl − and pH), we show that ratiometric imaging is strongly affected by the optical properties of the brain. We have designed a method that fully corrects for this source of error. Parallel measurements of [Cl − ] i and pH i at the single-cell level in the mouse cortex showed the in vivo presence of the widely discussed developmental fall in [Cl − ] i and the role of the K-Cl cotransporter KCC2 in this process. Then, we introduce a dynamic twophoton excitation protocol to simultaneously determine the changes of pH i and [Cl − ] i in response to hypercapnia and seizure activity.I ntracellular ion concentrations are controlled by plasmalemmal transporters and channels, which generate and dissipate ionic electrochemical gradients, respectively (1). In recent years, regulation of the intracellular Cl − concentration ([Cl − ] i ) in neurons has attracted lots of attention, because it is the main ion that carries current across GABA A (and also, glycine) receptors. Changes in [Cl − ] i exert an immediate effect on the reversal potential of GABAergic currents (E GABA ) and, thereby, on the properties of GABA A receptor-mediated transmission (2-4). The "ionic plasticity" of GABAergic signaling involves not only the passive flux of Cl − ions through membrane channels but also, a number of ion transporters that regulate [Cl − ] i . Furthermore, this mechanism is under the control of intracellular signaling cascades that regulate the expression patterns as well as functional properties of ion transporters and channels (5, 6). With regard to long-term ionic modulation of GABAergic transmission, a case in point is the decrease in [Cl − ] i that is generally thought to take place during maturation of most central neurons. According to this widely accepted scenario, the Na-K-2Cl cotransporter NKCC1 accumulates Cl − in immature neurons, thereby promoting depolarizing GABA responses (3, 7-9), which is followed by developmental upregulation of the neuron-specific K-Cl cotransporter KCC2 that is required for the generation of classical hyperpolarizing inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) (10).A wealth of electrophysiological evidence dating back to the work in vivo by Eccles and coworkers (11) has provided evidence for active regulation of [Cl − ] i in mammalian central neurons and its crucial effect on the driving force of Cl − in inhibitory synapses (1). However, thus far, there are no direct data on neuronal [Cl − ] i measured in vivo at the single-cell level in the living brain, and for in...

This protocol is an extension to:Nat. Protoc. 1, 1552-1558 (2006); doi:10.1038/nprot.2006.276; published online 9 November 2006This article describes how to reliably electroporate with DNA plasmids rodent neuronal progenitors of the hippocampus; the motor, prefrontal and visual cortices; and the cerebellum in utero. As a Protocol Extension article, this article describes an adaptation of an existing Protocol and offers additional applications. The earlier protocol describes how to electroporate mouse embryos using two standard forceps-type electrodes. In the present protocol, additional electroporation configurations are possible because of the addition of a third electrode alongside the two standard forceps-type electrodes. By adjusting the position and polarity of the three electrodes, the electric field can be directed with great accuracy to different neurogenic areas. Bilateral transfection of brain hemispheres can be achieved after a single electroporation episode. Approximately 75% of electroporated embryos survive to postnatal ages, and depending on the target area, 50-90% express the electroporated vector. The electroporation procedure takes 1 h 35 min. The protocol is suitable for the preparation of animals for various applications, including histochemistry, behavioral studies, electrophysiology and in vivo imaging.

See Contreras and Hippenmeyer (doi:) for a scientific commentary on this article.Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are complex conditions with diverse aetiologies. Szczurkowska et al. demonstrate that two ASD-related molecules – FGFR2 and Negr1 – physically interact to act on the same downstream pathway, and regulate cortical development and ASD-relevant behaviours in mice. Identifying common mechanisms in ASDs may reveal targets for pharmacological intervention.

g-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the principal inhibitory neurotransmitter in adults, acting through ionotropic chloride-permeable GABA A receptors (GABA A Rs), and metabotropic GABA B Rs coupled to calcium or potassium channels, and cAMP signalling. During early development, GABA is the main neurotransmitter and is not hyperpolarizing, as GABA A R activation is depolarizing while GABA B Rs lack coupling to potassium channels. Despite extensive knowledge on GABA A Rs as key factors in neuronal development, the role of GABA B Rs remains unclear. Here we address GABA B R function during rat cortical development by in utero knockdown (short interfering RNA) of GABA B R in pyramidal neuron progenitors. GABA B R knockdown impairs neuronal migration and axon/dendrite morphological maturation by disrupting cAMP signalling. Furthermore, GABA B R activation reduces cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of LKB1, a kinase involved in neuronal polarization, and rescues LKB1 overexpression-induced defects in cortical development. Thus, non-hyperpolarizing activation of GABA B Rs during development promotes neuronal migration and morphological maturation by cAMP/LKB1 signalling.