Rabies viruses reveal wiring in transparent brains.

Rabies viruses reveal wiring in transparent brains.Researchers use a new method for assessing neural transplant integration .Scientists have harnessed rabies viruses for assessing the connectivity of nerve cell transplants. The virus coupled with a green fluorescent protein, show where replacement cells engrafted into mouse brains have connected to the host neural network. A clearing procedure which turns the brain into a 'glass-like state' and light sheet fluorescence microscopy are used to visualize host-graft connections in a whole-brain preparation are used to visualize host-graft connections in a whole-brain preparation. The approach opens exciting prospects for predicting and optimizing the ability of neural transplants to functionally integrate into a host nervous system. The results published in the specialist journal Nature Communications.