Fig. 1

Genetic mapping of Aldh1a1 neurons and their synaptic targets in adult mice. a, GFP is expressed in Aldh1a1 neurons (green) after the injection of the rAAV1/2-TH-DIO-GFP virus into the VTA of Aldh1a1-CRE mice. b, Representative images show the labeling of GFP-expressing neurons with anti-Aldh1a1 (GFP/Aldh1a1). Higher magnification of a selected area (box) shows the co-labeling of GFP with Aldh1a1. c, Representative images show the labeling of GFP-expressing neurons with anti-TH (GFP/TH). Higher magnification of a selected area (box) shows the co-labeling of GFP with TH. d, Representative images show the labeling of GFP-expressing neurons with anti-GAD67 (GFP/GAD67). Higher magnification of a selected area (box) shows the absence of GAD67 in GFP-expressing neurons. e, Illustration shows the expression of TK (green, 1) in CRE-expressing Aldh1a1 neurons (0) after the injection of rAAV1/2-TH-DIO-TK-GFP virus into the VTA of Aldh1a1-CRE mice. Twelve days later, H129ΔTK-tdT virus was applied. This application caused the expression of tdT (red) in GFP-expressing Aldh1a1 neurons (yellow, 2) and their postsynaptic neurons (red, 3). f, g, Low (f), and high (g) magnifications of the images show the labeling of tdT (red) in GFP-expressing neurons (GFP/ tdT). h, Low (top) and high (bottom) magnifications of the images show the expression of tdT (red) in the IS. i, The representative images show the labeling of tdT-expressing neurons with anti-CaMKIIα. The plot shows the number of tdT-expressing neurons in the mPFC, the posterior tail of TS, the ventral (VS), and the lateral (LS) striatum from the individual mice (circles) and the averages (mean ± SEM, n = 5)