Simultaneous visualization of Ca2+ transients in large populations of cells |
Can be difficult to observe targets in highly scattering tissue |
Excellent spatial resolution |
Limited temporal resolution |
Improved preservation of physiological condition |
Not a direct measurement of action potential firing |
Does not require application or injection of Ca2+-sensitive dyes |
Can be susceptible to effects of Ca2+-buffering |
Uses minimally-invasive properties of light |
Cannot measure neurophysiological characteristics such as action potential number, frequency, duration |
Maintenance of somatotopic organization |
Level of fluorescence can be affected by variable GCaMP expression levels |
Can be inserted into mouse genome, allowing for easy and repeatable expression between generations |
Susceptible to effects of phototoxicity |
Can be combined with other fluorophores for multichannel imaging |
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