Functional Calcium Imaging in Developing Cortical NetworksJulia Dawitz 1, Tim Kroon 1, J.J. Johannes Hjorth 1, Rhiannon M. Meredith 1
1Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, VU University, Amsterdam
Spontaneous activity of developing neuronal networks can be measured using AM-ester forms of calcium-sensitive indicator dyes. Changes in intracellular calcium, indicating neuronal activation, are detected as transient changes in indicator fluorescence with one- or two-photon imaging. This protocol can be adapted for a range of developmentally-dependent neuronal networks in vitro.