How is axonal structural plasticity regulated in the adult brain during learning? How does axonal remodeling proceed in real time following brain injury? How is activity-dependent synaptic refinement achieved during development?
To address these questions, in vivo imaging of a genetically and physiologically tractable neuronal circuit is necessary. The cerebellar cortex is a particularly useful model system in this endeavor. The cerebellum is composed of a relatively small number of cell types, arranged in a highly stereotypic fashion, and their interconnections have been extensively characterized. Therefore, our research utilizes the cerebellum as a primary model system and uses a combination of two-photon in vivo time-lapse imaging, virus-mediated gene delivery and neuronal tracing, and rodent behavioral trainings to address the questions above.
