Developmental and Adult Striatal Patterning of Nociceptin Ligand Marks Striosomal Population With Direct Dopamine Projections.

Circuit influences on the midbrain dopamine system are crucial to adaptive behavior and cognition. Recent developments in the study of neuropeptide systems have enabled high-resolution investigations of the intersection of neuromodulatory signals with basal ganglia circuitry, identifying the nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) endogenous opioid peptide system as a prospective regulator of striatal dopamine signaling. Using a prepronociceptin-Cre reporter mouse line, we characterized highly selective striosomal patterning of Pnoc mRNA expression in mouse dorsal striatum, reflecting the early developmental expression of Pnoc.

Development of a genetically encoded sensor for probing endogenous nociceptin opioid peptide release.

Nociceptin/orphanin-FQ (N/OFQ) is a recently appreciated critical opioid peptide with key regulatory functions in several central behavioral processes including motivation, stress, feeding, and sleep. The functional relevance of N/OFQ action in the mammalian brain remains unclear due to a lack of high-resolution approaches to detect this neuropeptide with appropriate spatial and temporal resolution. Here we develop and characterize NOPLight, a genetically encoded sensor that sensitively reports changes in endogenous N/OFQ release.

Developmental and adult striatal patterning of nociceptin ligand marks striosomal population with direct dopamine projections.

Circuit influences on the midbrain dopamine system are crucial to adaptive behavior and cognition. Recent developments in the study of neuropeptide systems have enabled high-resolution investigations of the intersection of neuromodulatory signals with basal ganglia circuitry, identifying the nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) endogenous opioid peptide system as a prospective regulator of striatal dopamine signaling. Using a prepronociceptin-Cre reporter mouse line, we characterized highly selective striosomal patterning of mRNA expression in mouse dorsal striatum, reflecting early developmental expression of .

Development of a genetically encoded sensor for probing endogenous nociceptin opioid peptide release.

Nociceptin/orphanin-FQ (N/OFQ) is a recently appreciated critical opioid peptide with key regulatory functions in several central behavioral processes including motivation, stress, feeding, and sleep. The functional relevance of N/OFQ action in the mammalian brain remains unclear due to a lack of high-resolution approaches to detect this neuropeptide with appropriate spatial and temporal resolution. Here we develop and characterize NOPLight, a genetically encoded sensor that sensitively reports changes in endogenous N/OFQ release.