High-Resolution Synaptic Connectomics

Abstract

High-speed, high-resolution connectomics enables unambiguous mapping of synapses, gap junctions, adherens junctions, and other forms of adjacency among neurons in complex neural systems such as brain and retina. This chapter reviews the motivations for generating complete network architectures; the technologies available for large-scale network acquisition, visualization, and analysis; the fusion of molecular markers with a high-resolution ultrastructure; new networks and organelles discovered by ultrastructural connectomics; and new technological advances needed to expand the applications of connectomics.