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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Jul 30.
Published in final edited form as: Cell. 2015 Jul 30;162(3):622–634. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.07.015

Figure 4. Axonal Arborization Analysis of NAcLat- and NAcMed-projecting VTA-DA Neurons.

Figure 4

(A) Schematic of experimental setup. (1) CAV-FLExloxP-Flp was injected into either the NAcLat or NAcMed. (2) On the same day, an AAV expressing Flp-dependent membrane-GFP was injected into the VTA. Brains were harvested two months later.

(B) Representative coronal sections showing axonal projections of NAcMed-projecting (middle) and NAcLat-projecting (right) VTA-DA neurons in the striatum, along with the atlas schematic (left). Dotted lines outline subdivisions of the striatum. DLS, dorsolateral striatum; DMS, dorsomedial striatum.

(C) Same as in (B) except more posterior coronal sections are shown. Dotted lines outline the BNST.

(D) Proportion of total arborization of NAcMed- and NAcLat-projecting VTA-DA neurons across 10 brain regions. An average of 349±80 VTA-DA neurons were labeled by targeting NAcMed (n=5), and 366±106 neurons by NAcLat (n=4).

(E) NAcLat-projecting DA neurons showed a broader arborization than NAcMed-projecting DA neurons, as evidenced by a greater area covered by labeled axonal arbors. Scale, 500 μm.