A high-resolution 3D map of manganese in the brain of a zebrafish model of manganese neurotoxicity.

Manganese (Mn) neurotoxicity causes a disabling movement disorder associated with psychiatric symptoms. We have developed a zebrafish model of Mn neurotoxicity by knockout of the Mn uptake transporter Slc39a14 in order to study the effects of excess Mn on neuronal function. A remaining challenge is to determine the spatial Mn distribution within the zebrafish brain and link functional deficits with regions of Mn accumulation.
The ID16A nanoimaging beamline will allow generation of a cellular resolution 3D map of Mn within the zebrafish brain. Combination of the beamline’s MicroXRF, phase contrast imaging, and tomographic approaches will provide an unprecedented improvement in our ability to determine the specific neurons and brain regions in which Mn accumulates, and how that affects brain function and behaviour. Together with our ongoing spatial transcriptomic and behavioural studies, this will further our understanding of the disease pathogenesis underlying Mn neurotoxicity.