Fig. 2: VTA synaptic connectivity by axon terminals from VTAglutamate-only or VTAGABA-only neurons. | Nature Communications

Fig. 2: VTA synaptic connectivity by axon terminals from VTAglutamate-only or VTAGABA-only neurons.

From: VTA monosynaptic connections by local glutamate and GABA neurons and their distinct roles in behavior

Fig. 2

A VTA injection of Con/Foff-ChR2-eYFP viral vector in vglut2-Cre/vgat-Flp mice to target VTAglutamate-only neurons. B–F Asymmetric synapses between axon terminals (ATs) from VTAglutamate-only neurons (eYFP) and postsynaptic VTAdopamine-only (TH), VTAglutamate-only (eYFP), VTAdopamine-glutamate (TH-eYFP) or unlabeled neurons. B Diagram indicating the frequency of synapses between ATs from VTAglutamate-only neurons and different classes of postsynaptic VTA neurons (created with Motifolio and BioRender [Zhang, S. (2025) https://BioRender.com/hksfm4r]). C–F Electron micrographs showing ATs (green outlines) from VTAglutamate-only neurons co-expressing eYFP (scattered dark material) and VGluT2 (gold particles, green arrowheads) making asymmetric synapses (green arrows) with different classes of dendrites. C AT from a VTAglutamate-only neuron synapsing on a VTAdopamine-only dendrite (TH signal, gold particles indicated by blue arrowhead). D AT from a VTAglutamate-only neuron synapsing on a VTAglutamate-only dendrite (eYFP signal, scattered dark material). E AT from a VTAglutamate-only neuron synapsing on a VTAdopamine-glutamate dendrite (eYFP signal, scattered dark material, and TH signal, gold particles indicated by blue arrowhead). F AT from a VTAglutamate-only neuron synapsing on a dendrite lacking TH and eYFP signals. G VTA injection of Coff/Fon-ChR2-eYFP viral vector in vglut2-Cre/vgat-Flp mice to target VTAGABA-only neurons. H–K Symmetric synapses between ATs from VTAGABA-only neurons (eYFP) and postsynaptic VTAdopamine-only (TH), VTAGABA-only (eYFP) or unlabeled neurons. H Diagram indicating the frequency of synapses between ATs from VTAGABA-only neurons and different classes of postsynaptic VTA neurons (created with Motifolio and BioRender [Zhang, S. (2025) https://BioRender.com/hksfm4r]). I–K Electron micrographs showing ATs (green outlines) from VTAGABA-only neurons co-expressing eYFP (scattered dark material) and VGaT (gold particles, red arrowheads) making symmetric synapses (red arrows) with different classes of dendrites. I AT from a VTAGABA-only neuron synapsing on a VTAdopamine-only soma (TH signal, gold particles indicated by blue arrowhead). J AT from a VTAGABA-only neuron synapsing on a VTAGABA-only dendrite (eYFP signal, scattered dark material). K AT from a VTAGABA-only neuron synapsing on a dendrite lacking TH and eYFP signals. n = number of axon terminals from 3 vglut2-Cre/vgat-Flp mice in panels B and H.

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