Funded by NIH P40 OD010952, the Korein Foundation, a University of Miami Fellowship to SLC and a Maytag fellowship to ATK. The authors gratefully acknowledge the staff of the National Resource for Aplysia, as well as Lauren Simonitis and Hannah Peck, who provided micrographs for a figure.

1. Cell Preparation
<ol>
 <li>On Day 1, weigh and anesthetize animal.
 <ol>
 <li>Weigh a 30 g-1 kg animal. Anesthetize in 5-10 animal volumes of 1:1 seawater:isotonic MgCl . 6H20 for 1 hr with aeration such as an electric aquarium air pump with attached airstone.</li>
 </ol>
 </li>
 <li>Prepare dissection supplies.
 <ol>
 <li>Assemble clean dissection tray with stainless steel straight pins, such as fabric pins. Assemble several Petri dishes containing artificial seawater (ASW; see Tables 1</strong...

<ol>
	<li>Buttner, N., Siegelbaum, S. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Antagonistic+modulation+of+a+hyperpolarization-activated+Cl(-)+current+in+Aplysia+sensory+neurons+by+SCP(B)+and+FMRFamide.">Antagonistic modulation of a hyperpolarization-activated Cl(-) current in Aplysia sensory neurons by SCP(B) and FMRFamide.</a> J. Neurophysiol. 90 (2), 586-598 (2003).</li><li>Byrne, J. H., Castellucci, V. F., Kandel, E. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Contribution+of+individual+mechanoreceptor+sensory+neurons+to+defensive+gill-withdrawal+reflex+in+Aplysia.">Contribution of individual mechanoreceptor sensory neurons to defensive gill-withdrawal reflex in Aplysia.</a> J. Neurophysiol. 41 (2), 418-431 (1978).</li><li>Carlson, S. L., Fieber, L. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Physiological+evidence+that+D-Aspartate+activates+a+current+distinct+from+ionotropic+glutamate+receptor+currents+in+Aplysia+californica.">Physiological evidence that D-Aspartate activates a current distinct from ionotropic glutamate receptor currents in Aplysia californica.</a> J. Neurophysiol. 106 (4), 1629-1636 (2011).</li><li>Carlson, S. L., Kempsell, A. T., Fieber, L. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Pharmacological+evidence+that+D-Aspartate+activates+a+current+distinct+from+ionotropic+glutamate+receptor+currents+in+Aplysia+californica.">Pharmacological evidence that D-Aspartate activates a current distinct from ionotropic glutamate receptor currents in Aplysia californica.</a> Br. Behav. 2 (4), 391-401 (2012).</li><li>Fieber, L. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Characterization+of+Na++and+Ca2++currents+in+bag+cells+of+sexually+immature+Aplysia+californica.">Characterization of Na+ and Ca2+ currents in bag cells of sexually immature Aplysia californica.</a> J. Exp. Biol. 201 (5), 745-754 (1998).</li><li>Fieber, L. .. A., Carlson, S. L., Capo, T. R., Schmale, M. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Changes+in+D-Aspartate+ion+currents+in+the+Aplysia+nervous+system+with+aging.">Changes in D-Aspartate ion currents in the Aplysia nervous system with aging.</a> Br. Res. 1343, 28-36 (2010).</li><li>Glansman, D. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Habituation+in+Aplysia:+The+Cheshire+Cat+of+neurobiology.">Habituation in Aplysia: The Cheshire Cat of neurobiology.</a> Neurobiol. Learn. Mem. 92, 147-154 (2009).</li><li>Hawkins, R. D., Abrams, T. W., Carew, T. J., Kandel, E. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+Cellular+Mechanism+of+Classical+Conditioning+in+Aplysia:+Activity-Dependent+Amplification+of+Presynaptic+Facilitation.">A Cellular Mechanism of Classical Conditioning in Aplysia: Activity-Dependent Amplification of Presynaptic Facilitation.</a> Science, New. 219 (4583), 400-405 (1983).</li><li>Ichinose, M., Sawada, M., Maeno, T., McAdoo, D. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Effect+of+acetylcholine+on+ventrocaudal+sensory+neurons+in+the+pleural+ganglia+of+Aplysia.">Effect of acetylcholine on ventrocaudal sensory neurons in the pleural ganglia of Aplysia.</a> Cell Mol. Neurobiol. 9, 233-245 (1989).</li><li>Kandel, E. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Cellular basis of behavior. , (1976).</li><li>Kandel, E. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+molecular+biology+of+memory+storage:+a+dialog+between+nerves+and+synapses.">The molecular biology of memory storage: a dialog between nerves and synapses.</a> Science. 294 (5544), 1030-1038 (2001).</li><li>Kupfermann, I., Castellucci, V., Pinsker, H., Kandel, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Neuronal+correlates+of+habituation+and+habituation+of+the+gill-withdrawal+reflex+in+Aplysia.">Neuronal correlates of habituation and habituation of the gill-withdrawal reflex in Aplysia.</a> Science. 167 (3926), 1743-1745 (1970).</li><li>Magoski, N. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Regulation+of+an+Aplysia+bag-cell+neuron+cation+channel+by+closely+associated+protein+kinase+A+and+a+protein+phosphatase.">Regulation of an Aplysia bag-cell neuron cation channel by closely associated protein kinase A and a protein phosphatase.</a> J. Neurosci. 24 (30), 6833-6841 (2004).</li><li>R, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Neuronal+transcriptome+of+Aplysia:+neuronal+compartments+and+circuitry.">Neuronal transcriptome of Aplysia: neuronal compartments and circuitry.</a> Cell. 127, 1453-1467 (2006).</li><li>Nick, T. A., Kaczmarek, L. K., Carew, T. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Ionic+currents+underlying+developmental+regulation+of+repetitive+firing+in+Aplysia+bag+cell+neurons.">Ionic currents underlying developmental regulation of repetitive firing in Aplysia bag cell neurons.</a> J. Neurosci. 16 (23), 7583-7598 (1996).</li><li>Sakmann, B., Neher, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Single-channel recording. , (1995).</li><li>Tam, A. K., Geiger, J. E., Hung, A. Y., Groten, C. J., Magoski, N. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Persistent+Ca2++current+contributes+to+a+prolonged+depolarization+in+Aplysia+bag+cell+neurons.">Persistent Ca2+ current contributes to a prolonged depolarization in Aplysia bag cell neurons.</a> J. Neurophysiol. 102 (6), 3753-3765 (2009).</li><li>Schacher, S., Proshansky, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Neurite+regeneration+by+Aplysia+neurons+in+dissociated+cell+culture:+modulation+by+Aplysia+hemolymph+and+the+presence+of+the+initial+axonal+segment.">Neurite regeneration by Aplysia neurons in dissociated cell culture: modulation by Aplysia hemolymph and the presence of the initial axonal segment.</a> J. Neurosci. 3 (12), 2403-2413 (1983).</li><li>Walters, E. T., Byrne, J. H., Carew, T. J., Kandel, E. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mechanoafferent+neurons+innervating+tail+of+Aplysia.+I.+Response+properties+and+synaptic+connections.">Mechanoafferent neurons innervating tail of Aplysia. I. Response properties and synaptic connections.</a> J. Neurophysiol. 50 (6), 1522-1542 (1983).</li><li>Wilson, G. F., Richardson, F. C., Fisher, T. E., Olivera, B. M., Kaczmarek, L. K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Identification+and+characterization+of+a+Ca(2+)-sensitive+nonspecific+cation+channel+underlying+prolonged+repetitive+firing+in+Aplysia+neurons.">Identification and characterization of a Ca(2+)-sensitive nonspecific cation channel underlying prolonged repetitive firing in Aplysia neurons.</a> J. Neurosci. 16 (11), 3661-3671 (1996).</li><li>White, B. H., Nick, T. A., Carew, T. J., Kaczmarek, L. K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Protein+kinase+C+regulates+a+vesicular+class+of+calcium+channels+in+the+bag+cell+neurons+of+Aplysia.">Protein kinase C regulates a vesicular class of calcium channels in the bag cell neurons of Aplysia.</a> J. Neurophysiol. 80 (5), 2514-2520 (1998).</li><li>Wilson, G. F., Magoski, N. S., Kaczmarek, L. K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Modulation+of+a+calcium-sensitive+nonspecific+cation+channel+by+closely+associated+protein+kinase+and+phosphatase+activities.">Modulation of a calcium-sensitive nonspecific cation channel by closely associated protein kinase and phosphatase activities.</a> Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 95 (18), 10938-10943 (1998).</li><li>Zhao, Y., Wang, D. O., Martin, K. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Preparation+of+Aplysia+sensory-motor+neuronal+cell+cultures.">Preparation of Aplysia sensory-motor neuronal cell cultures.</a> J. Vis. Exp. (28), e1355 (2009).</li></ol>

The dissociation techniques described here yield sensory neuron cultures containing 50-100 isolated neurons interspersed with small numbers of glia and other unidentified cells. The most critical steps in the protocol are the time the ganglia remain in enzyme solution, and flicking, the dissociation of the digested cell clusters to break apart the cluster into individual cells. Enzyme digestion (step 1.8) must be optimized at the available temperature. At 23 &deg;C with slow shaking, 13 hr is sufficient for digest...

The marine opistobranch mollusk, Aplysia, has been a useful neurobiological model for many decades. It is best known as a model of habituation and classical conditioning 7, 8. Studies on learning and memory in this model won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 2000 for Eric R. Kandel, in a prize he shared with Arvid Carlsson and Paul Greengard 10. Studies involving electrical recordings from reduced preparations, in which elements of the nervous system of this invertebrate are dissected from the animal with nerves and muscles left attached, have helped elucidate the roles of individual neurons in Aplysia. Identification of precise molecular mechanisms that constitute learning in Aplysia however, often employed another technique, long-term co-cultures of a sensory neuron and a motoneuron, obtained one by one from individual donor animals and allowed to form a synapse in the culture dish 21.
We and others 1, 3, 6, 14, 15, 16 have exploited the ease with which identified neurons can be targeted in this model as well as their endurance in long-term experiments to make dissociated short term cultures of clusters of nominally homogeneous neurons in which we study ionic currents under voltage clamp in the patch clamp configuration. Many Aplysia neurons stand up to repeated rounds of patch clamping to allow time for long-lasting experimental manipulations. The technique is useful for neurons such as the neurosecretory bag cells of the abdominal ganglion, and the sensory neurons of the pleural and buccal ganglia whose dissociation we describe here, but not for very large neurons &gt;60 &mu;m diameter, such as L7 or R2 of the abdominal ganglion. We do not employ Aplysia serum in our cultures, unlike the sensory-motoneuron co-cultures described elsewhere. Most neurons obtained using this procedure will be without processes for the first 48 hr in culture, facilitating whole cell voltage recording, but will then sprout and elaborate axons and other processes for approximately 14 days before dying from lack of nutrients and/or growth factors.
This technique produces primary cultures of 50-100 neurons per dish from physiologically documented regions of the buccal and pleural ganglia. This protocol is useful for researchers studying aspects of single cell physiology in experiments that require numerous experimental replicates per animal. It produces a matched pair of cultures due to the anatomical separation of the target cells into left and right hemiganglia, permitting studies that benefit from matched treatment and control cultures.
The protocol targets buccal S cluster (BSC) neurons of the buccal ganglion, and pleural ventrocaudal (PVC) neurons of the pleural ganglion. These cells are an appropriate size for whole cell voltage recordings and display robust glutamatergic responses. The discussed methodology is appropriate for most ganglia in the Aplysia nervous system.

<table border="1">
 <tbody>
 <tr>
 <td>Name of Reagent/Material</td>
 <td>Company</td>
 <td>Catalog Number</td>
 <td>Comments</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Artificial seawater ASW</td>
 <td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
 <td>assorted</td>
 <td>(mM): 417 NaCl, 10 KCl, 10 CaCl2 (2 H2O), 5MgCl2 (6H2O), 15 HEPES-NaOH, pH 7.6</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Intracellular solution</td>
 <td>Sigma</td>
 <td>assorted</td>
 <td>(mM): 450 KCl, 2.9 CaCl2 (2 H2O), 2.5 MgCl2 (6 H2O), 5 Na2ATP, 10 EGTA, and 40 HEPES-KOH, pH 7.4</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Poly-D-lysine</td>
 <td>Sigma</td>
 <td>P6407</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>penicillin/streptomycin added to ASW at 1:100</td>
 <td>Lonzo Walkersville, Inc.</td>
 <td>17-603E</td>
 <td>5,000 Units/ml penicillin plus 5,000 mg/ml streptomycin</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Neutral dispase II</td>
 <td>Roche Diagnostics</td>
 <td>10165859001</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>hyaluronidase</td>
 <td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
 <td>H4272</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>collagenase type XI</td>
 <td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
 <td>C9407</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>L-Glutamate (L-Glu)</td>
 <td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
 <td>49601-100G</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>D-Aspartate (D-Asp)</td>
 <td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
 <td>11200-10G</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)</td>
 <td>Biomol</td>
 <td>100002-268</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>L-Asp</td>
 <td>Sigma</td>
 <td>A6683-25G</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>alpha-amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid (AMPA)</td>
 <td>Sigma</td>
 <td>A6816-5MG</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>L-Glu R antagonists</td>
 <td>various</td>
 <td>various</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>agar</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>kynurenate</td>
 <td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
 <td>61250</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>APV</td>
 <td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
 <td>A5282</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>DL-2-Amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (NMDAR antagonist)</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>2-propanol</td>
 <td>VWRSP</td>
 <td>BDH1133</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Chloriding solution</td>
 <td>Sigma</td>
 <td>assorted</td>
 <td>25 g FeCl3 + 25 ml concentrated HCl + 50 ml H2O</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Sylgard silicone 2-part polymer</td>
 <td>World Precision Instruments (WPI)</td>
 <td>SYL184</td>
 <td>Provides pin-out surface for small dissection dishes</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>0-40x zoom magnification microscope for dissections</td>
 <td>Wild</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Techniquip 150 Watts Fiber Optic Illuminator</td>
 <td>Microoptics of Florida</td>
 <td>TQ FOI-150</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>RotoMix 50800 orbital mixer</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Nikon Diaphot inverted phase-contrast microscope with 4x, 20x (optional) &amp; 40x objectives</td>
 <td>SR Research Ltd.</td>
 <td>Eyelink II</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Tektronix digital oscilloscope</td>
 <td>SR Research Ltd.</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>pClamp 10 data acquisition and analysis software</td>
 <td>Molecular Devices</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>PC with Windows XP or higher operating system</td>
 <td>PC Solutions</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>Thinkserver with solid state hard drives (80GB) and low noise monitors</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Flaming/Brown P87 micropipette puller</td>
 <td>Sutter Instruments, Novato, CA</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Axon Instruments Axopatch 200B clamp amplifier with a capacitance compensation range of 1-1000 pF; preamplifier</td>
 <td>Molecular Devices, Sunnyvale, CA</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Axon instruments electrode holder assembly for Axopatch 200B preamplifier</td>
 <td>Molecular Devices, Sunnyvale, CA</td>
 <td>CV203BU</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Digidata 1200 A/D converter</td>
 <td>Molecular Devices, Sunnyvale, CA</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Picospritzer, powered by N2 adjustable for pressure and duration</td>
 <td>Parker Hannifin, Cleveland, OH</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>TMC Micro-G Vibration isolation table</td>
 <td>Ametek</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Faraday cage</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>custom manufacture</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Burleigh Piezoelectric Clamshell Micromanipulators</td>
 <td>Burleigh Instruments; Thorlabs</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>presently PCS-5000; -6000 series + mounts</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Narishige M-152 manual manipulators (for perfusion system and picospritzer)</td>
 <td>Narishige USA</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Filament pipette glass,1.5 mm OD, 0.84 mm ID -</td>
 <td>WPI</td>
 <td>1B150-3</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>3 inch length</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Ag/AgCl half cell</td>
 <td>WPI</td>
 <td>EP4</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>15 ml centrifuge tubes, 35-2097 BD Falcon* Centrifuge Tubes</td>
 <td>VWRSP</td>
 <td>21008-918</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Angled Scissors</td>
 <td>Fine Science Tools</td>
 <td>15006-09</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Dumostar Fine forceps</td>
 <td>Fine Science Tools</td>
 <td>11295-00</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>35 mm falcon tissue culture dishes</td>
 <td>VWRSP</td>
 <td>25382-064</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>falcon 150 x 25 mm tissue culture dishes; 1013</td>
 <td>VWRSP</td>
 <td>1013</td>
 <td>also can be made into small dissection dishes with sylgard</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>sylgard</td>
 <td>WPI</td>
 <td>SYL184</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>animal dissection tray</td>
 <td>various</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>15 ml centrifuge tubes, 35-2097 BD Falcon</td>
 <td>VWRSP</td>
 <td>21008-918</td>
 <td>For 6-bore gravity-fed perfusion system</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Aluminum clips with screw hole ends</td>
 <td>hardware store</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>For perfusion system</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>23 gauge needles (manually file off points)</td>
 <td>VWRSP</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>For perfusion system</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Polyethylene tubing 0.022"ID x 0.042"OD; 427411</td>
 <td>Becton-Dickinson</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>For perfusion system</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>H-7 pipette stand/holder for microcap perfusion array</td>
 <td>Narishige USA</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>For perfusion system</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>one-way valves</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>For perfusion system</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Drummond Microcaps 1 &mu;l</td>
 <td>VWRSP</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>For perfusion system</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>18 gauge needles for suction (filed off points)</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Polyethylene tubing</td>
 <td>Cole Parmer</td>
 <td>4.27436E+11</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>fine dissection pins</td>
 <td>Fine Science Tools</td>
 <td>26002-20</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>capillary tubes</td>
 <td>Kimble 71900-100</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>fire-polished and U-shaped in a Bunsen burner flame and filled with 3% agar in ECS</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>modeling clay</td>
 <td>craft store</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>dish holder for microscope stage with isolated ground bath</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>Custom manufacture</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>pasteur pipettes</td>
 <td>VWRSP</td>
 <td>14672-412</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>pipette bulbs</td>
 <td>VWRSP</td>
 <td>53283-911</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>acrodisk syringe filters</td>
 <td>VWRSP</td>
 <td>28144-040</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>thick-walled 1.5 mm diameter borosilicate filament glass</td>
 <td>WPI</td>
 <td>1B150F-3</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>High purity nitrogen cylinder and bifurcating regulator</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 </tbody>
</table>
Tables 1-3. Lists of Reagents, Materials, and Equipment.

isolation of sensory neurons of aplysia californica for patch clamp recordings of glutamatergic currents

The marine gastropod mollusk Aplysia californica has a venerable history as a model of nervous system function, with particular significance in studies of learning and memory. The typical preparations for such studies are ones in which the sensory and motoneurons are left intact in a minimally dissected animal, or a technically elaborate neuronal co-culture of individual sensory and motoneurons. Less common is the isolated neuronal preparation in which small clusters of nominally homogeneous neurons are dissociated into single cells in short term culture. Such isolated cells are useful for the biophysical characterization of ion currents using patch clamp techniques, and targeted modulation of these conductances. A protocol for preparing such cultures is described. The protocol takes advantage of the easily identifiable glutamatergic sensory neurons of the pleural and buccal ganglia, and describes their dissociation and minimal maintenance in culture for several days without serum.

The locations of the sensory neurons within the ganglia that are targeted in this protocol, the BSC and PVC neurons are shown in Figure 1. The BSC neurons are located in 2 symmetrical oval clusters on the ventral side of the buccal ganglion, the surface that faces away from the buccal mass in the intact ganglion (Figure 1A). The PVC neurons form bilateral, V-shaped clusters that wrap around the dorsal surface of the pleural ganglion toward the central axis (Figure 1B). T...

We describe the dissection of the nervous system of the marine sea hare Aplysia after anesthesia, the isolation of neurons for short term-tissue culture, and recordings of single cell ion currents via the patch clamp technique.

Isolation of Sensory Neurons of Aplysia californica for Patch Clamp Recordings of Glutamatergic Currents

The marine gastropod mollusk Aplysia californica has a venerable  history as a model of nervous system function, with particular significance in  studies ...

Research

JoVE Journal

Neuroscience

Preparation of Drosophila Central Neurons for in situ Patch Clamping

Short generation times and facile genetic techniques make the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster an excellent genetic model in fundamental neuroscience ...

An In Vitro Preparation for Eliciting and Recording Feeding Motor Programs with Physiological Movements in Aplysia californica

Multifunctionality, the ability of one peripheral  structure to generate multiple, distinct behaviors1, allows animals  to rapidly adapt their behaviors ...

Extracellularly Identifying Motor Neurons for a Muscle Motor Pool in Aplysia californica

In animals with large  identified neurons (e.g. mollusks), analysis of motor pools is done using  intracellular techniques1,2,3,4. Recently,  we developed ...

Whole Cell Patch Clamp for Investigating the Mechanisms of Infrared Neural Stimulation

It has been  demonstrated in recent years that pulsed, infrared laser light can be used to  elicit electrical responses in neural tissue, independent of ...

Intracellular Recording, Sensory Field Mapping, and Culturing Identified Neurons in the Leech, Hirudo medicinalis

The freshwater leech, Hirudo medicinalis, is a versatile model organism that has been used to address scientific questions in the fields of ...

In Vivo Calcium Imaging of Neuronal Ensembles in Networks of Primary Sensory Neurons in Intact Dorsal Root Ganglia

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Ca2+ imaging can be used as a proxy for cellular activity, including action potentials and various signaling mechanisms involving Ca2+ entry into the ...

Hypothalamic Kisspeptin Neurons as a Target for Whole-Cell Patch-Clamp Recordings

Hypothalamic Kisspeptin Neurons as a Target for Whole-Cell Patch-Clamp Recordings (Video) | JoVE 

Kisspeptins are essential for the maturation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis and fertility. Hypothalamic kisspeptin neurons located in ...

Isolating and Culturing Vestibular and Spiral Ganglion Somata from Neonatal Rodents for Patch-Clamp Recordings

Isolating and Culturing Vestibular and Spiral Ganglion Somata from Neonatal Rodents for Patch-Clamp Recordings (Video) | JoVE 

The compact morphology of isolated and cultured inner ear ganglion neurons allows for detailed characterizations of the ion channels and neurotransmitter ...

Hormonal, Metabolic, and Electrical Regulation of Isolated Hypothalamic Neurons

Isolation of Targeted Hypothalamic Neurons for Studies of Hormonal, Metabolic, and Electrical Regulation

Author Spotlight: Hypothalamic Neural Mechanism Insights (Video) | JoVE 

The hypothalamus regulates fundamental metabolic processes by controlling functions as varied as food intake, body temperature, and hormone release. As ...

Understanding Motor Neuron Responses to Spinal Cord Stimulation

The Ex vivo Preparation of Spinal Cord Slice for the Whole-Cell Patch-Clamp Recording in Motor Neurons During Spinal Cord Stimulation

Author Spotlight: Advancing Spinal Cord Stimulation - Exploring the Cellular Responses of Motor Neurons Through Patch-Clamp Electrophysiology (Video) | JoVE 

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) can effectively restore locomotor function after spinal cord injury (SCI). Because the motor neurons are the final unit to ...