Technique - (1) Brainbow multicolor stochastic fluorescent labeling

Type: Fabrication

Description: Combinatorial, stochastic genetic expression of multiple fluorescent proteins in neurons so that individual cells and their processes can be distinguished by color for circuit tracing.

Department(s)/lab(s): Molecular and Cellular Biology | Lichtman Lab @ Harvard
Summary:

Lichtman invented the multicolor 'Brainbow' fluorescent labeling method and pioneered large-scale, automated serial-section electron microscopy to reconstruct complete synaptic wiring diagrams (connectomes) of neural tissue, pushing spatial resolution and scale together to map circuit-level brain structure.