We would like to acknowledge the significant contribution Dr. Shiwei Huang (Australian National University) in validating the method. Furthermore, we would like to thank Ms. Kasia Pietrajtis for helpful comments regarding Golgi cells and Mr. Vitaly Lerner for the cortex experimental data. This work was supported by PITN-GA-2009-238686 (CEREBNET), FP7-ICT (REALNET), ELSC and ISF.

Todos los procedimientos experimentales descritos en este protocolo fueron aprobados por Cuidado de Animales de la Universidad Hebrea y el empleo. 1. Preparación de las soluciones y herramientas para rebanar <ol><li> Preparar 1 L de solución fisiológica estándar (SPS) que contiene los iones descritos en la Tabla 1. <ol><li> Preparar una solución madre que contiene las sales en 10 veces la concentración final de antemano en una botella de vidrio de almacenamiento lleno de 1000 ml de agua desionizada (conductancia de 0,055 mS / cm). Añadir sales (NaCl, KCl, KH 2 PO 4, y MgSO4), y revuelva hasta que se disuelva por completo. Guarde la solución madre en 4 ° C. </li><li> Hacer la solución final MSF en el día del experimento. Añadir 100 ml de la solución madre a 700 ml de agua purificada, disolver la glucosa (3,6 g) y NaHCO3 (2,18 g) usando una barra de agitación magnética y luego añadir agua purificada hasta 1 L. </li><li> Equilibrar los solutien por gaseamiento con 95% O2 / 5% de CO 2 durante ~ 20 min. Después de esto, añadir 2 ml de solución M CaCl 2 1. </li></ol></li><li> Montar las herramientas siguientes (Figura 1). <ol><li> Prepare grandes tijeras u otra herramienta para la decapitación, pequeñas tijeras quirúrgicas para abrir el cráneo, fórceps de punta fina para levantar el cráneo para exponer el cerebro, con hoja de bisturí para diseccionar la parte deseada del cerebro para ser cortado en lonchas y una pequeña espátula para manipular la partes del cerebro disecados. </li><li> Además, preparar pequeños trozos de papel de filtro para eliminar el exceso de líquido del cerebro, dos pequeñas placas de Petri para el cerebro para ser diseccionados en dos vasos de precipitados de vidrio de 500 ml para contener agua caliente y MSF purificado, y el pegamento de cianoacrilato para pegar el cerebro a la etapa de corte. </li><li> Preparar un pequeño cepillo para el manejo de las rebanadas durante el corte en lonchas y una pipeta Pasteur de vidrio de boca ancha para mover las rebanadas del baño de corte para el cha recuperaciónmbre. Desinfectar las herramientas para prevenir el crecimiento de bacterias en los baños rebanada cálidos. Por otra parte, el uso de guantes de laboratorio limpios. </li></ol></li><li> Preparar una cámara de recuperación rebanada sumergida tal como se describe por Gibb y Edwards 15. Continuamente gas del SPS en ella con un 95% de O 2/5% de CO 2 y mantener a 36 ° C. Asegúrese de que el gaseamiento no da lugar a pequeñas burbujas atrapadas en el baño que podría dañar las rebanadas. </li><li> ~ Caliente de 300 ml de la MSF a 36 ° C en una placa de calefacción con agitador magnético o en un baño de agua. Si se utiliza una placa de calefacción, tenga cuidado para evitar que la solución de un sobrecalentamiento, lo que puede dar lugar a la precipitación de iones. En caso de que suceda, cálidos MSF frescas en lugar de enfriar la antigua. </li><li> Llevar ~ 500 ml de agua purificada a ebullición usando un hervidor de agua eléctrico y, en un vaso de precipitados, se combinan 300 ml de la misma con agua fría para obtener agua ligeramente más caliente que la temperatura de corte. Utilice esta calentó agua purificada durante la decapitación y el uso de la RemaiNing del agua hervida posteriormente para mantener la temperatura fisiológica del baño de corte. </li><li> Anestesiar el ratón mediante la inyección de 0,1 ml de pentobarbital (60 mg / ml) por vía intraperitoneal. Después de unos minutos comprobar que el animal no responde a los fuertes de los pies o la cola pellizcos para determinar la falta de sensación. </li></ol> 2. Disección del cerebro <ol><li> Decapitar el ratón rápidamente cortando el cuello con las grandes tijeras cerca de la parte posterior del cráneo, y dejó que la cabeza caiga en el vaso con agua purificada caliente para enjuagar el exceso de sangre. </li><li> Exponer el agujero occipital en el cráneo debajo de los músculos del cuello y la piel, posiblemente, la eliminación de más del cuello con las tijeras pequeñas. </li><li> Tire de la piel en la parte superior del cráneo para ser capaz de ver claramente las suturas del cráneo con el fin de guiar la abertura del cráneo. </li><li> Cortar el cráneo abierto mediante la inserción de la punta inferior de las tijeras pequeñas a través del agujero magno y de inmediato convertirlos haciael lado lateral. Cortar suavemente a lo largo del borde lateral del hueso parietal hasta un lugar detrás de los ojos y la sutura frontoparietal; a continuación, girar hacia el centro del cráneo y cortar a través de la línea media al otro lado del cráneo (véase la línea discontinua verde en la Figura 2A). </li><li> Con unas pinzas de punta fina, levante el cráneo desde la esquina frontoparietal y tire de ella en diagonal hacia arriba y hacia los lados para exponer el cerebro (ver flecha amarilla discontinua en la Figura 2A). Asegúrese de que el cráneo no está conectado a ningún hueso o la piel de la cabeza, por lo que el cerebro se mantendrá en su lugar cuando se levantó el cráneo. En caso de que el cerebro se está moviendo con el cráneo, utilizar las tijeras pequeñas para retirar cualquier tejido conectivo entre el cráneo y el cerebro. </li><li> Cuando se expone el cerebro, no permita que el cerebro esté bien seco. Por lo tanto, lleve a cabo los siguientes pasos mientras se mantiene el cráneo y el cerebro en una placa de Petri llena de calentado, gaseados MSF. </li><li> Separe la parte del cerebro que se utiliza para el correoXperiment del resto del cerebro usando un escalpelo y una espátula. En caso de utilizar el cerebelo, desprenda del cerebro anterior por un solo corte a través del mesencéfalo y protuberancia (a lo largo de líneas rojas en las figuras 2B-D) y moverlo a una pequeña placa de Petri que contiene frescos, gaseados MSF. </li><li> Retire el tronco cerebral para formar una base recta y ancha para pegar el cerebro para cortar etapa al rebanar el cerebelo en el plano horizontal. Brevemente colocar el cerebelo en un trozo de papel de filtro húmedo de manera que el lado que fue cortado de la prosencéfalo esté orientada hacia abajo. <ol><li> Cortar el tallo cerebral con un bisturí para formar la base (como se indica con la línea azul en la Figura 2B), y devolver el cerebelo a la MSF. Cuando se necesitan otros planos de corte, recorte el bloque cerebelo en consecuencia (líneas azules en las figuras 2C y D). </li></ol></li></ol> 3. Cortando el Cerebro <ol><li> Preparar la etapa de corte determinando que es dry, antes de aplicar una pequeña gota de pegamento en el centro del escenario. </li><li> Levante el bloque de cerebro de la SPS utilizando una espátula con correcto hacia arriba, y eliminar el exceso de líquido del cerebro utilizando pequeños trozos de papel de filtro. Luego, con un solo movimiento, deslice el cerebro de la espátula sobre la gota de pegamento en el escenario. </li><li> Para evitar que el cerebro de secado y el pegamento de corriendo hacia arriba en los lados del tejido, se aplican unas pocas gotas de SPS con una pipeta Pasteur y colocar la etapa de corte en la cámara de corte. Alinear el bloque de cerebro, de modo que las regiones de interés (por ejemplo, la corteza cerebelar) se enfrentan a la hoja y por lo tanto serán sometidos a menor cantidad de presión mecánica antes de ser cortado. </li><li> Cortar cada rebanada de acuerdo con las instrucciones del fabricante mientras que constantemente gasificación al SPS en la cámara de corte, así como manteniendo la temperatura a 34-37 ° C. Mantener la temperatura de la cámara de corte en este rango llenando el external cámara de la máquina de cortar con agua purificada calentada y reemplazar el agua cuando la temperatura baja demasiado. NOTA: Los parámetros de corte en lonchas deben ser encontrados experimentalmente para cada tipo de tejido y las neuronas que están siendo examinadas. En el caso de la máquina de cortar Campden SMZ 700 con cuchillas de cerámica y células de Golgi del cerebelo, utilice 0,75 mm amplitud de la vibración a 65 Hz y velocidad de avance de 0,05 mm / seg; para las neuronas cerebelosas nucleares mayor amplitud y frecuencia (1 mm y 90 Hz, respectivamente) y velocidad de avance más lenta (0,01-0,02 mm / seg) se recomienda. Por tanto Golgi y las neuronas cerebelosas nucleares, grosor de corte debe ser de 300 micras. </li><li> Durante el corte, no permita que las rebanadas se plieguen sobre sí mismos. Para prevenir esto, apoyando suavemente con un cepillo suave, tocando preferentemente la rebanada sólo en regiones que no son de interés para el experimento. Tenga cuidado para evitar que el cepillo toque la cuchilla vibratome; especialmente en el caso de las hojas de cerámica, incluso un ligero contactopuede dañar la hoja. </li><li> Mueva cada rebanada de la cámara de corte para una recuperación / celebración de cámara utilizando una boca ancha, Pasteur de vidrio pipeta pulida al fuego. </li><li> Deje que las rebanadas de descanso en la cámara durante al menos 1 hora antes de comenzar el experimento. Esto permite la degradación de los tejidos y las células dañadas o moribundas y por lo tanto resulta en una superficie de loncha más limpio. Durante la primera hora, mantener la temperatura de la SPS en la cámara en el intervalo de 34-36 ° C; asegúrese de que las rebanadas no son tocados por las burbujas de aire que pueden dañar las rodajas o hacer flotar. </li></ol> 4. Experimento <ol><li> Después de 1 hora, deje que la temperatura de la cámara de recuperación se enfríe a temperatura ambiente (17-25 ° C). NOTA: Este podría prolongar el período de tiempo durante el cual las rebanadas se pueden utilizar por ralentizar el crecimiento de bacterias, así como el metabolismo celular. Este periodo depende de la región del cerebro y tipo de célula. Por ejemplo, ciertos tipos de células de Golgi se pueden encontrar para estar sano en rodajas8 hr después de cortar mientras que otros tipos durar sólo 6 hr. </li><li> Después de 1 hora ha pasado de la corte, utilizar las rodajas de varios experimentos electrofisiológicos. </li></ol>

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The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests.

Se demuestra un método para la preparación de cortes de cerebro de ratones agudas en lugar de la temperatura fisiológica enfriada con hielo. Se ha demostrado 11 que la calidad de las rebanadas obtenidas en condiciones de calor es superior en comparación con los preparados con condiciones de frío, a condición de que la cuchilla rebanadora tiene vibración vertical mínima. El rebanar de la temperatura fisiológica puede evitar artefactos fisiológicos causados ​​por la ba...

El objetivo del método presentado es conseguir cortes de cerebro agudos de alta calidad para experimentos electrofisiológicos in vitro, especialmente cuando se utiliza adulto o incluso los animales de edad. El método de corte cerebral agudo, tal como se describe por Skrede y Westgaard 1 en dos frases elegantes, se ha convertido en uno de los fundamentos de la investigación de la neurociencia moderna y está empleado en innumerables variaciones en todo el mundo. La calidad de las rodajas se refleja en el número de neuronas por rebanada viviente, el período de tiempo durante el cual las células mantienen sus propiedades electrofisiológicas y morfológicas, así como en la integridad del tejido. Además, la duración máxima para las grabaciones estables depende de la calidad de las rodajas. Por lo tanto, a lo largo de las décadas, el método de la división original ha sido desarrollado por los grupos individuales de investigación para mejorar la recuperación después de cortar la rebanada 2-10, a menudo por modificaciones complejas de la composición de corte osoluciones de recuperación r (tales como la adición de ascorbato, tiourea o incluso H 2 O 2), así como pre-perfusión intra-cardiaca del animal con soluciones fisiológicas enfriado. Como se ha demostrado recientemente 11, temperatura fisiológica durante el corte parece ser más beneficiosa que la refrigeración para la salud neuronal; la mejora es más notable cuando se trabaja con adultos (2-8 meses) los roedores. Evitar cambios drásticos de temperatura evita artefactos debido a los procesos dependientes de la temperatura en las células, tales como la plasticidad y 13 canales de iones cinética de 13,14. Tales cambios podrían influir en la tensión de la membrana y la señalización del calcio intracelular, el umbral de pico y pico de forma. El método &quot;caliente&quot; rebanada aguda preparación que aquí se presenta es un procedimiento general para la obtención de cortes de cerebro agudos de alta calidad desde cualquier región del cerebro, incluyendo el cerebelo, la corteza y el hipocampo, núcleos de helio tronco cerebral 16 &lt;/ Sup&gt; así como el bulbo olfatorio, tanto en ratas y ratones. En particular, el procedimiento de corte en lonchas temperatura fisiológica requiere que la cuchilla de corte vibra casi perfectamente horizontal y es sin defectos estructurales. Tal precisión podría no ser alcanzable con los modelos de máquina de cortar de edad avanzada; en tales casos, se recomienda la realización de la preparación rebanada en condiciones de congelación frío como la temperatura baja parece tener el tejido más resistente a los daños mecánicos, aunque a costa de las aberraciones metabólicas.

<table><tbody><tr><td>Pentobarbital</td><td>CTS</td><td>170066</td><td>Concentration: 60 mg/ml in physiological saline.</td></tr><tr><td>Big scissors&amp;nbsp;</td><td>FST</td><td>14001-16</td><td>Any large scissors or a guillotine with sufficiently sharp edges can be used for decapitation&amp;nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td>Iris scissors&amp;nbsp;</td><td>Prestige medical</td><td>48,148</td><td>Any fine tip scissors can be used, provided the scissor blades are not longer than 1.5&amp;#8211;2 cm</td></tr><tr><td>Fine tip forceps&amp;nbsp;</td><td>FST</td><td>11254-20</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Scalpel&amp;nbsp;</td><td>FST</td><td>91003-12</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Scalpel blade #11</td><td>FST</td><td>10011-00</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Small spatula&amp;nbsp;</td><td>Fisher&amp;nbsp;</td><td>2350</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Filter paper</td><td></td><td></td><td>Any laboratory brand can be used.</td></tr><tr><td>Petri dishes</td><td>Duroplan</td><td>Z231509-1</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Glass beakers&amp;nbsp;</td><td>SCHOT</td><td>10022846</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Pasteur pipette&amp;nbsp;</td><td>Maple Leaf Brand</td><td>14672-029</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Super glue&amp;nbsp;</td><td>LOCTITE</td><td>4091361/1</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Slicer</td><td>Campden</td><td>7000-smz</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Ceramic slicing blade</td><td>Campden</td><td>7550-1-C</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Magnetic heater/stirrer</td><td></td><td></td><td>For heating up the SPS for the procedure</td></tr><tr><td>Electric kettle</td><td></td><td></td><td>For heating up water for temperature control</td></tr><tr><td>Slice recovery chamber + heating unit</td><td>Warner instruments</td><td>&amp;nbsp;BSC-HT +&amp;nbsp; BSC-BUW</td><td>Home-built models may also be used.</td></tr><tr><td>Thermometer</td><td></td><td></td><td>For monitoring SPS temperature during dissection and slicing</td></tr></tbody></table>

slice it hot: acute adult brain slicing in physiological temperature

Aquí se presenta un protocolo para la preparación de cortes de cerebro agudas. Este procedimiento es un elemento crítico para los experimentos de patch-clamp electrofisiológicos que determina en gran medida la calidad de los resultados. Se ha demostrado que la omisión de la etapa de enfriamiento durante el procedimiento de corte es beneficioso en la obtención de rebanadas y las células sanas, especialmente cuando se trata de estructuras cerebrales altamente mielinizadas de animales maduros. Aunque el mecanismo exacto por el que la temperatura elevada favorece la salud de los nervios sólo puede especular sobre, es lógico pensar que, siempre que sea posible, la temperatura en la que se realiza el corte debe estar cerca de las condiciones fisiológicas para evitar los artefactos relacionados con la temperatura. Otra ventaja importante de este método es la simplicidad del procedimiento y por lo tanto el tiempo de preparación corto. En el método demostrado se utilizan ratones adultos pero el mismo procedimiento se puede aplicar con ratones más jóvenes, así como las ratas. También, las siguientes cl parcheamp experimento se realiza en rebanadas horizontales cerebelosos, pero el mismo procedimiento se puede utilizar también en otros planos, así como otras áreas posteriores del cerebro.

Rebanadas preparadas en la forma descrita se puede utilizar para diversos experimentos electrofisiológicos y optogenética. En la Figura 3A y 3C, se muestra un ejemplo representativo de una rebanada horizontal cerebelosa cortical y una rebanada coronal cerebral, respectivamente, se observa bajo (DIC) óptica de interferencia diferencial. En el trozo del cerebelo, varios tipos de neuronas del cerebelo pueden ser fácilmente reconocidos por su forma y localización de células del cuerpo...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Slice It Hot: Acute Adult Brain Slicing in Physiological Temperature at JoVE.com

Slice It Hot: Acute Adult Brain Slicing in Physiological Temperature

In this paper we show a method for preparing acute brain slices in physiological temperature, using a conventional physiological solution without special modifications for the cutting (such as adding sucrose) and without intracardial perfusion of the animal before slice preparation.

Slice It Hot: Agudo cerebrales en adultos rebanar en la temperatura fisiológica

Here we present a protocol for preparation of acute brain slices. This procedure is a critical element for electrophysiological patch-clamp experiments ...

slice-it-hot-acute-adult-brain-slicing-in-physiological-temperature

Research

JoVE Journal

Neuroscience

26.2K vistas.  Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In this paper we show a method for preparing acute brain slices in physiological temperature, using a conventional physiological solution without special modifications for the cutting (such as adding sucrose) and without intracardial perfusion of the animal before slice preparation.

Video: Slice It Hot: Acute Adult Brain Slicing in Physiological Temperature

Preparation of Acute Brain Slices Using an Optimized N-Methyl-D-glucamine Protective Recovery Method

This protocol is a practical guide to the N-methyl-D-glucamine (NMDG) protective recovery method of brain slice preparation. Numerous recent studies have validated the utility of this method for enhancing neuronal preservation and overall brain slice viability. The implementation of this technique by early adopters has facilitated detailed investigations into brain function using diverse experimental applications and spanning a wide range of animal ages, brain regions, and cell types. Steps are outlined for carrying out the protective recovery brain slice technique using an optimized NMDG artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) media formulation and enhanced procedure to reliably obtain healthy brain slices for patch clamp electrophysiology. With this updated approach, a substantial improvement is observed in the speed and reliability of gigaohm seal formation during targeted patch clamp recording experiments while maintaining excellent neuronal preservation, thereby facilitating challenging experimental applications. Representative results are provided from multi-neuron patch clamp recording experiments to assay synaptic connectivity in neocortical brain slices prepared from young adult transgenic mice and mature adult human neurosurgical specimens. Furthermore, the optimized NMDG protective recovery method of brain slicing is compatible with both juvenile and adult animals, thus resolving a limitation of the original methodology. In summary, a single media formulation and brain slicing procedure can be implemented across various species and ages to achieve excellent viability and tissue preservation.

Preparation of Acute Brain Slices Using an Optimized N-Methyl-D-glucamine Protective Recovery Method

This protocol demonstrates the implementation of an optimized N-methyl-D-glucamine (NMDG) protective recovery method of brain slice preparation. A single media formulation is used to reliably obtain healthy brain slices from animals of any age and for diverse experimental applications.

Preparación de rebanadas cerebrales agudas mediante un optimizado N-metil-D-glucamine recuperación protección método

This protocol is a practical guide to the N-methyl-D-glucamine (NMDG) protective recovery method of brain slice preparation. Numerous recent studies have ...

Investigación

Neurociencias

Subcellular Patch-clamp Recordings from the Somatodendritic Domain of Nigral Dopamine Neurons

Dendrites of dopaminergic neurons receive and convey synaptic input, support action potential back-propagation and neurotransmitter release. Understanding these fundamental functions will shed light on the information transfer in these neurons. Dendritic patch-clamp recordings provide the possibility to directly examine the electrical properties of dendrites and underlying voltage-gated ion channels. However, these fine structures are not easily accessible to patch pipettes because of their small diameter. This report describes a step-by-step procedure to collect stable and reliable recordings from the dendrites of dopaminergic neurons in acute slices. Electrophysiological measurements are combined with post hoc recovery of cell morphology. Successful experiments rely on improved preparation of slices, solutions and pipettes, adequate adjustment of the optics and stability of the pipette in contact with the recorded structure. Standard principles of somatic patch-clamp recording are applied to dendrites but with a gentler approach of the pipette. These versatile techniques can be implemented to address various questions concerning the excitable properties of dendrites.

Subcellular patch-clamp recordings offer the possibility to investigate the functional properties of dendrites. However these fine structures are not easily accessible due to their small diameter. The protocol described here aims to facilitate the collection of stable and reliable recordings from the dendrites of dopamine neurons in slices in vitro.

Subcelulares patch-clamp grabaciones desde el dominio somatodendrítica de la sustancia nigra dopamina Neuronas

Dendrites of dopaminergic neurons receive and convey synaptic input, support action potential back-propagation and neurotransmitter release. Understanding ...

An Alternative Approach to Study Primary Events in Neurodegeneration Using Ex Vivo Rat Brain Slices

Despite&#160;numerous studies that attempt to develop reliable animal models&#160;which reflecting the primary processes underlying neurodegeneration, very few have been widely accepted. Here, we propose&#160;a new procedure&#160;adapted from the well-known ex vivo brain slice technique, which offers a closer in vivo-like scenario than in vitro preparations, for investigating the early events triggering cell degeneration, as observed in Alzheimer&#39;s disease (AD). This variation consists of simple and easily reproducible steps, which enable preservation of the anatomical cytoarchitecture of the selected brain region and its local functionality in a physiological milieu. Different anatomical areas can be obtained from the same brain, providing the opportunity to perform multiple experiments with the treatments in question in a site-, dose-, and time-dependent manner. Potential limitations&#160;which could affect the outcomes related to this methodology are related to the conservation of the tissue, i.e., the maintenance of its anatomical integrity during the slicing and incubation steps and the section thickness, which can influence the biochemical and immunohistochemical analysis. This approach can be employed for different purposes, such as exploring molecular mechanisms involved in physiological or pathological conditions, drug screening, or dose-response assays. Finally, this protocol could also reduce the number of animals employed in behavioral studies. The application reported here has been recently described and tested for the first time on ex vivo rat brain slices containing the basal forebrain (BF), which is one of the cerebral regions primarily affected in AD. Specifically, it has been demonstrated that the administration of a toxic peptide derived from the C-terminus of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) could prompt an AD-like profile, triggering, along the antero-posterior axis of the BF, a differential expression of proteins altered in AD, such as the alpha7 nicotinic receptor (&#945;7-nAChR), phosphorylated Tau (p-Tau), and amyloid beta (A&#946;).

An Alternative Approach to Study Primary Events in Neurodegeneration Using Ex Vivo Rat Brain Slices

We present a method which can&#160;provide further insights into the early events underlying neurodegeneration and based on the established ex-vivo brain technique, combining the advantages of in vivo and in vitro experiments. Moreover, it represents a unique opportunity for direct comparison of treated and untreated group in the same anatomical plane.

Un enfoque alternativo para estudiar acontecimientos primarios en neurodegeneración con rodajas de cerebro de rata Ex Vivo

Despite&#160;numerous studies that attempt to develop reliable animal models&#160;which reflecting the primary processes underlying neurodegeneration, ...

Two-photon Imaging of Microglial Processes' Attraction Toward ATP or Serotonin in Acute Brain Slices

Microglial cells are resident innate immune cells of the brain that constantly scan their environment with their long processes and, upon disruption of homeostasis, undergo rapid morphological changes. For example, a laser lesion induces in a few minutes an oriented growth of microglial processes, also called &#34;directional motility&#34;, toward the site of injury. A similar effect can be obtained by delivering locally ATP or serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]). In this article, we describe a protocol to induce a directional growth of microglial processes toward a local application of ATP or 5-HT in acute brain slices of young and adult mice and to image this attraction over time by multiphoton microscopy. A simple method of quantification with free and open-source image analysis software is proposed. A challenge that still characterizes acute brain slices is the limited time, decreasing with age, during which the cells remain in a physiological state. This protocol, thus, highlights some technical improvements (medium, air-liquid interface chamber, imaging chamber with a double perfusion) aimed at optimizing the viability of microglial cells over several hours, especially in slices from adult mice.

Microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain, respond quickly with morphological changes to modifications of their environment. This protocol describes how to use two-photon microscopy to study the attraction of microglial processes toward serotonin or ATP in acute brain slices of mice.

Proyección de imagen de dos fotones de atracción Microglial procesos hacia ATP o serotonina en rebanadas de cerebro agudo

Microglial cells are resident innate immune cells of the brain that constantly scan their environment with their long processes and, upon disruption of ...

Short-Term Free-Floating Slice Cultures from the Adult Human Brain

Organotypic, or slice cultures, have been widely employed to model aspects of the central nervous system functioning in vitro. Despite the potential of slice cultures in neuroscience, studies using adult nervous tissue to prepare such cultures are still scarce, particularly those from human subjects. The use of adult human tissue to prepare slice cultures is particularly attractive to enhance the understanding of human neuropathologies, as they hold unique properties typical of the mature human brain lacking in slices produced from rodent (usually neonatal) nervous tissue. This protocol describes how to use brain tissue collected from living human donors submitted to resective brain surgery to prepare short-term, free-floating slice cultures. Procedures to maintain and perform biochemical and cell biology assays using these cultures are also presented. Representative results demonstrate that the typical human cortical lamination is preserved in slices after 4 days in vitro (DIV4), with expected presence of the main neural cell types. Moreover, slices at DIV4 undergo robust cell death when challenged with a toxic stimulus (H2O2), indicating the potential of this model to serve as a platform in cell death assays. This method, a simpler and cost-effective alternative to the widely used protocol using membrane inserts, is mainly recommended for running short-term assays aimed to unravel mechanisms of neurodegeneration behind age-associated brain diseases. Finally, although the protocol is devoted to using cortical tissue collected from patients submitted to surgical treatment of pharmacoresistant temporal lobe epilepsy, it is argued that tissue collected from other brain regions/conditions should also be considered as sources to produce similar free-floating slice cultures.

A protocol to prepare free-floating slice cultures from adult human brain is presented. The protocol is a variation of the widely used slice culture method using membrane inserts. It is simple, cost-effective, and recommended for running short-term assays aimed to unravel mechanisms of neurodegeneration behind age-associated brain diseases.

Cultivos de rebanadas flotantes a corto plazo del cerebro humano adulto

Organotypic, or slice cultures, have been widely employed to model aspects of the central nervous system functioning in vitro. Despite the potential of ...

Minimizing Hypoxia in Hippocampal Slices from Adult and Aging Mice

Acute hippocampal slices have enabled generations of neuroscientists to explore synaptic, neuronal, and circuit properties in detail and with high fidelity. Exploration of LTP and LTD mechanisms, single neuron dendritic computation, and experience-dependent changes in circuitry, would not have been possible without this classical preparation. However, with a few exceptions, most basic research using acute hippocampal slices has been performed using slices from rodents of relatively young ages, ~P20-P40, even though synaptic and intrinsic excitability mechanisms have a long developmental tail that reaches past P60. The main appeal of using young hippocampal slices is preservation of neuronal health aided by higher tolerance to hypoxic damage. However, there is a need to understand neuronal function at more mature stages of development, further accentuated by the development of various animal models of neurodegenerative diseases that require an aging brain preparation. Here we describe a modification to an acute hippocampal slice preparation that reliably delivers healthy slices from adult and aging mouse hippocampi. The protocol&#8217;s critical steps are transcardial perfusion and cutting with ice-cold sodium-free NMDG-aSCF. Together, these steps attenuate the hypoxia-induced drop in ATP upon decapitation, as well as cytotoxic edema caused by passive sodium fluxes. We demonstrate how to cut transversal slices of hippocampus plus cortex using a vibrating microtome. Acute hippocampal slices obtained in this way are reliably healthy over many hours of recording, and are appropriate for both field-recordings and targeted patch-clamp recordings, including targeting of fluorescently labeled neurons.

This is a protocol for acute slice preparation from adult and aging mouse hippocampi that takes advantage of transcardial perfusion and slice cutting with ice-cold NMDG-aCSF to reduce hypoxic damage to the tissue. The resulting slices stay healthy over many hours, and are suitable for long-term patch-clamp and field-recordings.

Minimizar la hipoxia en las rebanadas de hipocampo de ratones adultos y envejecidos

Acute hippocampal slices have enabled generations of neuroscientists to explore synaptic, neuronal, and circuit properties in detail and with high ...

Preparing Acute Brain Slices from the Dorsal Pole of the Hippocampus from Adult Rodents

Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings from acute rodent brain slices are a mainstay of modern neurophysiological research, allowing precise measurement of cellular and synaptic properties. Nevertheless, there is an ever increasing need to perform correlated analyses between different experimental modes in addition to slice electrophysiology, for example: immunohistochemistry, molecular biology, in vivo imaging or electrophysiological recording; to answer evermore complex questions of brain function. However, making meaningful conclusions from these various experimental approaches is not straightforward, as even within relatively well described brain structures, a high degree of sub-regional variation of cellular function exists. Nowhere is this better exemplified than in the CA1 of the hippocampus, which has well-defined dorso-ventral properties, based on cellular and molecular properties. Nevertheless, many published studies examine protein expression patterns or behaviorally correlated in vivo activity in the dorsal extent of the hippocampus; and explain findings mechanistically with cellular electrophysiology from the ventro-medial region. This is further confounded by the fact that many acute slice electrophysiological experiments are performed in juvenile animals, when other experimental modes are performed in more mature animals. To address these issues, this method incorporates transcardial perfusion of mature (&#62;60 day old rodents) with artificial cerebrospinal fluid followed by preparation of modified coronal slices including the septal pole of the dorsal hippocampus to record from CA1 pyramidal cells. This process leads to the generation of healthy acute slices of dorsal hippocampus allowing for slice-based cellular electrophysiological interrogation matched to other measures.

The purpose of this protocol is to describe a method to produce slices of the dorsal hippocampus for electrophysiological examination. This procedure employs perfusion with chilled ACSF prior to slice preparation with a near-coronal slicing angle which allows for preservation of healthy principal neurons.

Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings from acute rodent brain slices are a mainstay of modern neurophysiological research, allowing precise measurement of ...

Acute Mouse Brain Slicing to Investigate Spontaneous Hippocampal Network Activity

Acute rodent brain slicing offers a tractable experimental approach to gain insight into the organization and function of neural circuits with single-cell resolution using electrophysiology, microscopy, and pharmacology. However, a major consideration in the design of in vitro experiments is the extent to which different slice preparations recapitulate naturalistic patterns of neural activity as observed in vivo. In the intact brain, the hippocampal network generates highly synchronized population activity reflective of the behavioral state of the animal, as exemplified by the sharp-wave ripple complexes (SWRs) that occur during waking consummatory states or non-REM sleep. SWRs and other forms of network activity can emerge spontaneously in isolated hippocampal slices under appropriate conditions. In order to apply the powerful brain slice toolkit to the investigation of hippocampal network activity, it is necessary to utilize an approach that optimizes tissue health and the preservation of functional connectivity within the hippocampal network. Mice are transcardially perfused with cold sucrose-based artificial cerebrospinal fluid. Horizontal slices containing the hippocampus are cut at a thickness of 450 &#956;m to preserve synaptic connectivity. Slices recover in an interface-style chamber and are transferred to a submerged chamber for recordings. The recording chamber is designed for dual surface superfusion of artificial cerebrospinal fluid at a high flow rate to improve oxygenation of the slice. This protocol yields healthy tissue suitable for the investigation of complex and spontaneous network activity in vitro.

This protocol describes the preparation of horizontal hippocampal-entorhinal cortex (HEC) slices from mice exhibiting spontaneous sharp-wave ripple activity. Slices are incubated in a simplified interface holding chamber and recordings are performed under submerged conditions with fast-flowing artificial cerebrospinal fluid to promote tissue oxygenation and the spontaneous emergence of network-level activity.

Corte cerebral de ratón agudo para investigar la actividad espontánea de la red de hipocampo

Acute rodent brain slicing offers a tractable experimental approach to gain insight into the organization and function of neural circuits with single-cell ...

Assessing Changes in Synaptic Plasticity Using an Awake Closed-Head Injury Model of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) are a prevalent health issue in North America. There is increasing pressure to utilize ecologically valid models of closed-head mTBI in the preclinical setting to increase translatability to the clinical population. The awake closed-headed injury (ACHI) model uses a modified controlled cortical impactor to deliver closed-headed injury, inducing clinically relevant behavioral deficits without the need for a craniotomy or the use of an anesthetic.
This technique does not normally induce fatalities, skull fractures, or brain bleeds, and is more consistent with being a mild injury. Indeed, the mild nature of the ACHI procedure makes it ideal for studies investigating repetitive mTBI (r-mTBI). Growing evidence indicates that r-mTBI can result in a cumulative injury that produces behavioral symptoms, neuropathological changes, and neurodegeneration. r-mTBI is common in youths playing sports, and these injuries occur during a period of robust synaptic reorganization and myelination, making the younger population particularly vulnerable to the long-term influences of r-mTBI.
Further, r-mTBI occurs in cases of intimate partner violence, a condition for which there are few objective screening measures. In these experiments, synaptic function was assessed in the hippocampus in juvenile rats that had experienced r-mTBI using the ACHI model. Following the injuries, a tissue slicer was utilized to make hippocampal slices to evaluate bidirectional synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus at either 1 or 7 days following the r-mTBI. Overall, the ACHI model provides researchers with an ecologically valid model to study changes in synaptic plasticity following mTBI and r-mTBI.

Here, it is demonstrated how an awake closed-head injury model can be used for examining the effects of repeated mild traumatic brain injury (r-mTBI) on synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus. The model replicates important features of r-mTBI in patients and is used in conjunction with in vitro electrophysiology.

Evaluación de los cambios en la plasticidad sináptica utilizando un modelo de lesión cerebral traumática leve con vigilia

Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) are a prevalent health issue in North America. There is increasing pressure to utilize ecologically valid models of ...

Preparation of Brain Sections Using a NMDG-Based Protective Recovery Method

Source: Ting, J. T. et al. <a href="https://app.jove.com/v/53825">Preparation of Acute Brain Slices Using an Optimized N-Methyl-D-glucamine Protective Recovery Method.</a> J. Vis. Exp. (2018).
This video describes a protocol to obtain brain slices using an N-Methyl-D-glucamine (NMDG)-based protective recovery method. A dissected brain is incubated in an aCSF with NMDG and HEPES to minimize neuronal cell death and damage during the sectioning. The section is allowed to recover in the aCSF to restore the cellular activities

Preparación de secciones cerebrales utilizando un método de recuperación protectora basado en NMDG

1. Brain Dissection and Slicing

	Decapitate the animal. Use a scalpel to open the skin on the head and expose the skull cap.
	Use fine super-cut scissors ...