Cajal Cortical Circuits

The Cajal Cortical Circuits Laboratory (CCCL) was created in 2008 as a joint research laboratory between UPM and Instituto Cajal (IC-CSIC). CCCL represents a UPM experimental neuroscience unit made up of expert researchers in neuroscience (neuroanatomy) from the IC-CSIC and computer scientists from the UPM. The CCCL was created with the aim of combining experimental studies of the brain with computer science technologies, in particular with several neuroinformatic groups with expertise in statistics, informatics tools and analysis of images. The main experimental research line conducted at the CCCL focuses on the analysis of the microanatomy and neurochemical organization of the cerebral cortex, by means of a variety of techniques such as intracellular injection in fixed tissue, histochemical and inmunocytochemical techniques for optical and electron microscopy, and new 3D reconstruction methods (confocal and FIB/SEM microscopy). Data generated in the CCCL is analysed with the help of the computer science groups. The most relevant methodology carried out at CCCL include intracellular injection in fixed tissue; histochemical and inmunocytochemical techniques for optical and electron microscopy and image processing; 3D reconstruction methods (confocal and FIB/SEM microscopy); tract-tracing anatomical methods; stereology.