Core: Image of the Month

Neurons form complex networks. Of particular interest are dendrites, which receive signals from other neurons. They form extensive branched structures that are self-organized. This is achieved with the help of filopodia, which are finger-like projections from dendrites that sense the microenvironment and guide decisions on branch formation and synapse formation. We used the LSM Fast Mode to study how inhibiting miR-125b affects the structure of dendritic filopodia and dendrites themselves. Here, cultured hippocampal neurons are treated with a peptide nucleic acid (PNA) inhibitor of miR-125b, and transfected with a BacMam 2.0 cell membrane-GFP virus. This allows us to visualize the morphology of these neurons, and specifically study features of dendrites and filopodia at a high resolution.