All authors contributed towards the establishment and validation of the presented assay and to the draft of the manuscript.

All animal experimental procedures in the protocol follow the animal care guidelines of Technische Universit&#228;t M&#252;nchen, Germany.
1. Media/Extract Preparation
<ol>
	<li>Tissue homogenization 
	The quality of tissue homogenization is critical to the subsequent detection of neuroplastic alterations in the cultured neurons. Here, a homogenizer is recommended which enables tissue dissociation without major increase in the tissue temperature.
	<ol>
		<li>Transfer 5 mm x 5 mm x 5 mm ...

<ol>
	<li>Demir, I. E., Schafer, K. H., Tieftrunk, E., Friess, H., Ceyhan, G. O. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Neural+plasticity+in+the+gastrointestinal+tract:+chronic+inflammation,+neurotrophic+signals,+and+hypersensitivity.">Neural plasticity in the gastrointestinal tract: chronic inflammation, neurotrophic signals, and hypersensitivity.</a> Acta Neuropathol. 125, 491-509 (2013).</li><li>Vasina, V., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Enteric+neuroplasticity+evoked+by+inflammation.">Enteric neuroplasticity evoked by inflammation.</a> Auton. Neurosci. 126-127, 264-272 (2006).</li><li>Lomax, A. E., Fernandez, E., Sharkey, K. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Plasticity+of+the+enteric+nervous+system+during+intestinal+inflammation.">Plasticity of the enteric nervous system during intestinal inflammation.</a> Neurogastroenterol. Motil. 17, 4-15 (2005).</li><li>Demir, I. E., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Neural Invasion in Pancreatic Cancer: The Past, Present and Future. 2, 1513-1527 (2010).</li><li>Demir, I. E., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+microenvironment+in+chronic+pancreatitis+and+pancreatic+cancer+induces+neuronal+plasticity.">The microenvironment in chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer induces neuronal plasticity.</a> Neurogastroenterol. Motil. 22, 480-490 (2010).</li><li>Schafer, K. H., Mestres, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+GDNF-induced+neurite+outgrowth+and+neuronal+survival+in+dissociated+myenteric+plexus+cultures+of+the+rat+small+intestine+decreases+postnatally.">The GDNF-induced neurite outgrowth and neuronal survival in dissociated myenteric plexus cultures of the rat small intestine decreases postnatally.</a> Exp. Brain Res. 125, 447-452 (1999).</li><li>Schafer, K. H., Van Ginneken, C., Copray, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Plasticity+and+neural+stem+cells+in+the+enteric+nervous+system.">Plasticity and neural stem cells in the enteric nervous system.</a> Anat. Rec. 292, 1940-1952 (2009).</li><li>Liebl, F., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+severity+of+neural+invasion+is+associated+with+shortened+survival+in+colon+cancer.">The severity of neural invasion is associated with shortened survival in colon cancer.</a> Clin. Cancer Res. 19, 50-61 (2012).</li><li>Sch&#228;fer, K. H., Saffrey, M. J., Burnstock, G., Mestres-Ventura, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+new+method+for+the+isolation+of+myenteric+plexus+from+the+newborn+rat+gastrointestinal+tract.">A new method for the isolation of myenteric plexus from the newborn rat gastrointestinal tract.</a> Brain Res. Brain Res. Protoc. 1, 109-113 (1997).</li><li>Ceyhan, G. O., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Nerve+growth+factor+and+artemin+are+paracrine+mediators+of+pancreatic+neuropathy+in+pancreatic+adenocarcinoma.">Nerve growth factor and artemin are paracrine mediators of pancreatic neuropathy in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.</a> Ann. Surg. 251, 923-931 (2010).</li><li>Demir, I. E., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Neuronal+plasticity+in+chronic+pancreatitis+is+mediated+via+the+neurturin/GFRalpha2+axis.">Neuronal plasticity in chronic pancreatitis is mediated via the neurturin/GFRalpha2 axis.</a> Am. J. Physiol. Gastrointest. Liver Physiol. 303, 1017-1028 (2012).</li><li>Joseph, N. M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Enteric+glia+are+multipotent+in+culture+but+primarily+form+glia+in+the+adult+rodent+gut.">Enteric glia are multipotent in culture but primarily form glia in the adult rodent gut.</a> J. Clin. Invest. 121, 3398-3411 (2011).</li></ol>

The authors have no competing interests and no financial disclosures.

The present protocol is intended to illustrate the methodology behind the in vitro pancreatic neuroplasticity assay which was recently developed by our group to study the mechanisms of neuroplasticity in PCa and CP5. The protocol involves a three-day procedure which can easily be applied once the performer has gained sufficient experience in the isolation and culture of DRG and MP neurons. Furthermore, it represents a valuable tool for studying the concomitant reaction of enteric and DRG-associated gl...

Alterations in gastrointestinal (GI) nerve morphology and density have caught the attention of gastroenterologists and pathologists for a long time, but their relevance for the pathophysiology of GI diseases remains unknown1-3. Indeed, several highly common GI disorders such as gastritis, reflux esophagitis, colitis, diverticulitis, and appendicitis are associated with increased innervation density in inflamed tissue areas1. However, no genuine attention has so far been paid to the mechanisms and meaning of neuroplasticity in the GI tract. Do morphologically altered GI nerves differ from normal GI nerves, i.e. the normal state of the enteric nervous system, in terms of their function? What are the implications of altered neuropeptide/neurotransmitter content in plastic enteric nerves? Does peripheral neuroplasticity always entail altered signaling to the central nervous system? And where are the central projections of plastic extrinsic GI neural pathways? A long series of such key questions can easily be generated when looking at the paucity of our knowledge on the functional aspects of GI neuroplasticity.&#160;

The study of GI neuroplasticity at functional level requires valid, reproducible and still easily applicable experimental models. In an era of increasing popularity and acceptance of genetically engineered conditional mouse models (GECoMM), such in vivo settings bear the potential to elucidate previously unknown facets of GI neuroplasticity in a realistic fashion1. However, the design and production of GECoMM remains costly, labor-intensive and, especially, time-consuming. Furthermore, they require the a priori selection of the target to be conditionally modulated in the genetically altered mouse (e.g. transgenic overexpression of nerve growth factor/NGF in enteric epithelial cells). Hence, for the design of a successful GECoMM, researchers need some indicators (e.g. previous experimental data) of a worthwhile target, i.e. that the molecule of interest (here NGF) can at least be expected to exert some biologically relevant effects on GI nerves.

Such indicators can easily be derived from adequate in vitro models in which isolated cell subtypes from the complex microenvironment of an in vivo system can be selectively cocultured in a heterotypic manner4-7. The modulation of molecular targets in such a heterotypic culture setting is on average technically less cumbersome, faster, and can therefore aid in the prefiltering of worthwhile targets for verification in in vivo studies.
Recently, we presented an in vitro neuroplasticity assay which was designed to simulate the increased neural density and hypertrophy of intrapancreatic nerves in human pancreatic cancer (PCa) and chronic pancreatitis (CP) tissues. Here, neurons derived from newborn rat dorsal root ganglia (DRG) or myenteric plexus (MP) were exposed to tissue extracts from surgically resected PCa or CP tissues specimens and compared to those cultured in normal human pancreas (NP) tissue extracts5. Instead of tissue extracts, one can also use cell line supernatants to study the impact of selected cell types on neuroplasticity. When combined with a standardized morphometric measurement, the presented neuroplasticity assay allows valid and reproducible assessment of neuronal plasticity in response to different pancreatic microenvironments. Particularly, it allows the simulation of 1) morphological neuroplasticity, i.e. the changes in the neurite outgrowth, branching pattern and neuronal size, and 2) functional neuroplasticity, i.e. alterations in the excitability of peripheral neurons. Moreover, not only peripheral (i.e. enteric), but also central (e.g. DRG or second order spinal) neurons can be included in the present assay to assess their morphological and functional reaction to different GI tissue contents. In the present video tutorial, we demonstrate the technical protocol for the performance of this assay and discuss its advantages and weaknesses. Moreover, we draw attention to the applicability of the basic notion of this assay to the study of neuroplasticity in any GI organ.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="817">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:216px;">Poly-D-lysine hydrobromide</td>
			<td style="width:149px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:124px;">P1149</td>
			<td style="width:328px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Ornithine/laminin</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>P2533/L4544</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">13mm coverslips</td>
			<td>Merck</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>For use in 24-well plates</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Dismembranator S</td>
			<td>Sartorius</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Anti-Beta-III-tubulin antibody</td>
			<td>Millipore</td>
			<td>MAB1637</td>
			<td>1:200 concentration</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Anti-GFAP-antibody</td>
			<td>DAKO</td>
			<td>M0761</td>
			<td>1:400 concentration</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">RIPA buffer + protease inhibitor</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Any supplier</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Neurobasal medium</td>
			<td>Gibco/Life sciences</td>
			<td>21103-049</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">B-27 supplement</td>
			<td>Gibco/Life sciences</td>
			<td>17504044</td>
			<td>Quality of B-27 is known to depend on the lot number</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Gentamicin/Metronidazol</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Any supplier</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Minimal essential medium</td>
			<td>Gibco/Life sciences</td>
			<td>31095-029</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Hank&#8217;s Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS)</td>
			<td>Gibco/Life sciences</td>
			<td>24020133</td>
			<td>Improves collagenase activity when containing Ca/Mg</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Collagenase type II</td>
			<td>Worthington Biochemical</td>
			<td>CLS-2</td>
			<td>Obtain lots with at least 200U/mg activity</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Trypsin-EDTA 0,25%</td>
			<td>Gibco/Life sciences</td>
			<td>25200056</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">4% Paraformaldehyde</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Any supplier</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">analySIS docu software</td>
			<td style="width:149px;">Olympus</td>
			<td style="width:124px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

simulating pancreatic neuroplasticity: in vitro dual-neuron plasticity assay

Neuroplasticity is an inherent feature of the enteric nervous system and gastrointestinal (GI) innervation under pathological conditions. However, the pathophysiological role of neuroplasticity in GI disorders remains unknown. Novel experimental models which allow simulation and modulation of GI neuroplasticity may enable enhanced appreciation of the contribution of neuroplasticity in particular GI diseases such as pancreatic cancer (PCa) and chronic pancreatitis (CP). Here, we present a protocol for simulation of pancreatic neuroplasticity under in vitro conditions using newborn rat dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and myenteric plexus (MP) neurons. This dual-neuron approach not only permits monitoring of both organ-intrinsic and -extrinsic neuroplasticity, but also represents a valuable tool to assess neuronal and glial morphology and electrophysiology. Moreover, it allows functional modulation of supplied microenvironmental contents for studying their impact on neuroplasticity. Once established, the present neuroplasticity assay bears the potential of being applicable to the study of neuroplasticity in any GI organ.

Morphological neuroplasticity
In the indicated age range of newborn rats (P2-12) and the seeding densities, MP and DRG neurons already build dense neuronal networks after 48 hr&#160;(Figure 2A). Comparison of neurite density between neurons cultivated in PCa, CP, and NP extracts reveals greater neurite density of DRG neurons in PCa or CP extracts than in NP extracts (Figure 2A)5. We particularly prefer MP neurons for measurements on individ...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Simulating Pancreatic Neuroplasticity: In Vitro Dual-neuron Plasticity Assay at JoVE.com

Simulating Pancreatic Neuroplasticity: In Vitro Dual-neuron Plasticity Assay

Neuronal plasticity is an increasingly recognized, but insufficiently understood feature of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Here, in the example of human pancreatic disorders, we present an in vitro neuroplasticity assay for the study of neuronal plasticity in the GI tract at both morphological and functional level.

Simulating Pancreatic Neuroplasticity: In Vitro Dual-neuron Plasticity Assay

Neuroplasticity is an inherent feature of the enteric nervous system and gastrointestinal (GI) innervation under pathological conditions. However, the ...

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9.7K visualizações.  Technische Universität München.  Plasticidade neuronal é uma característica cada vez mais reconhecida, mas não suficientemente entendido do gastrointestinal (GI). Aqui, no exemplo de desordens pancreáticas humanas, apresentamos um ensaio neuroplasticidade in vitro para o estudo da plasticidade neuronal no tracto gastrointestinal, a nível tanto morfológica e funcional. 