Nonviral Tracers

Non-viral traditional tracers are effective tools for visualizing a large number of neuronal connections. These tracers are often injected and can be used in any animal of interest, eliminating the necessity for genetically modified mice with a specific genetic background.

Neuroanatomical tracing was first discovered by Waller, who found that damaged neuronal axons gradually degenerate from the lesion site to the distal end. Subsequently, "Waller-like" degeneration of neurons was found in neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). In the 1960s, chemical tracers were developed and became the mainstream solution for neurotracing for a long time.

Available Types

Creative Biolabs' nonviral tracers are versatile, highly sensitive, and capable of selective anterograde and retrograde labeling and have been used to study neural circuits.

Dyes Dextran Proteins Probes

Retrograde Nonviral Tracers

Chemical neurotracers include radiolabeled amino acids, which can be used to visualize and track peripheral connections in the central nervous system. 2-Deoxyglucose, which was later employed, also had substantial effects on neurotracing. Retrograde tracers can move from the axon terminals to the cell body using retrograde transport. In the following investigations, researchers used horseradish peroxidase (HRP), cholera toxin B (CTB), tetanus toxin, and hydroxyamidine (Fluoro-Gold) as retrograde tracers.

Anterograde Nonviral Tracers

Anterograde tracers move downstream of the projection via anterograde transport. For anterograde tracers, researchers have developed biotinylated dextran amines (BDAs), phytohemagglutinin L (PHA-L), and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) for simultaneous anterograde and retrograde tracers.

Viral Tracers

Nonviral tracer systems have obvious limitations. They can only visualize the whole brain projection connections of neurons, but cannot specifically subdivide the projected cell types and synaptic connection methods. In contrast, viral tracer strategies can effectively target specific cell types, and by modifying the virus, specific small molecule tracers, such as WGA, can be effectively expressed in the target cells. As a result, viral tracing technology has gradually become a mainstream technology in neuroscience.

Optogenetic Tools Chemogenetic Tools Calcium Sensors Neurotransmitter Sensors Recombinase Tools RNAi Tools CRISPR/Cas9 System Tools Apoptosis/Killing Tools pH Indicators Voltage Indicators AAV Control Tools Neurological Disease Related Viruses

Creative Biolabs offers a range of anterograde and retrograde non-viral tracers. In addition, we are expanding our services to include custom adeno-associated viruses (AAVs). Please contact us to accelerate your neural tracing studies.

For Research Use Only. Not For Clinical Use.

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Dextran, NHS Activated, 40 kDa [CAT#: NRZP-0722-ZP124]

Low toxicity; Strong tissue penetration ability; Different molecular weights

Tracer Type:: Dextan Conjugate

Applications:: Neural Tracing

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Nonviral Tracers

Available Types

Retrograde Nonviral Tracers

Anterograde Nonviral Tracers

Viral Tracers

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