Abstract
Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector–mediated gene transfer has become a widely applied tool in neurobiology. More recently, it has also become crucial in the analysis of somatosensory spinal circuits as it allows for the local restriction of transgene expression and determination of the onset of expression. The combination of recombinase-dependent AAV vectors with transgenic mice enables cell type-specific expression of any protein, within the limits of the genome size of wild-type (wt) AAVs (∼4700 nucleotides). Recombinase-dependent AAV vectors encoding for marker, sensor or effector proteins such as fluorescent proteins, calcium sensors or pharmacogenetic receptors and toxins can be used to label, monitor, or functionally manipulate recombinase-expressing spinal neurons. This allows interrogating the function of any genetically identifiable spinal neuron in specific somatosensory modalities such as itch or in different modalities of pain. Here, we first discuss the capabilities of AAV vectors and describe how to modify and use their properties. In the subsequent protocol we outline how to generate AAV vectors and how to deliver them into the spinal cord of mice.
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Wildner, H., Paterna, JC., Haenraets, K. (2022). Production of AAVs and Injection into the Spinal Cord. In: Seal, R.P. (eds) Contemporary Approaches to the Study of Pain. Neuromethods, vol 178. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-2039-7_19
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-2039-7_19
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