Pairing the use of calcium sensors in astrocytes that will fluoresce when intracellular calcium increases in the astrocyte, i.e. when they are active, and miniature microscopes using open source miniscope technology (miniscope.org) will allow us a window into the behavior of astrocytes. We hope this technology will allow us to visualize astrocyte activity in real time during behavioral tasks. We are excited by the potential of this new technology to finally visualize the unique contributions of astrocytes.
Vassar College