Name: neuronal cell cultures from aplysia for high-resolution imaging of growth cones
Uploaded: 2008-02-20T18:40:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Neuronal Cell Cultures from Aplysia for High-Resolution Imaging of Growth Cones at JoVE.com

<p class="jove_content">We would like to thank Ryan Maneri (Oystercatcher Productions, LLC) for filming our procedure and Rodney McPhail (Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University) for assistance with editing the dissection video. Research in the Suter lab is supported by grants from the NIH (R01 NS049233) and the Bindley Bioscience Center at Purdue University to D.M.S.</p>

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<li>L15-ASW cell culture medium (1l)   
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	<li>Forscher, P., Kaczmarek, L. K., Buchanan, J. A., Stephen, S. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cyclic+AMP+induces+changes+in+distribution+and+transport+of+organelles+within+growth+cones+of+Aplysia+bag+cell+neurons.">Cyclic AMP induces changes in distribution and transport of organelles within growth cones of Aplysia bag cell neurons.</a> <em style='font-style: italic'>J. Neurosci</em>. <b>7</b>, 3600-3611 (1987).</li><li>Suter, D. M., Errante, L. D., Belotserkovsky, V., Forscher, 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+Ig+superfamily+cell+adhesion+molecule,+apCAM,+mediates+growth+cone+steering+by+substrate-cytoskeletal+coupling.">The Ig superfamily cell adhesion molecule, apCAM, mediates growth cone steering by substrate-cytoskeletal coupling.</a> <em style='font-style: italic'>J. Cell. Biol</em>. <b>141</b>, 227-240 (1998).</li><li>Schaefer, A. W., Kabir, N., Forscher, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Filopodia+and+actin+arcs+guide+the+assembly+and+transport+of+two+populations+of+microtubules+with+unique+dynamic+parameters+in+neuronal+growth+cones.">Filopodia and actin arcs guide the assembly and transport of two populations of microtubules with unique dynamic parameters in neuronal growth cones.</a> <em style='font-style: italic'>J. Cell. Biol</em>. <b>158</b>, 139-152 (2002).</li><li>Suter, D. M., Schaefer, A. W., Forscher, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Microtubule+dynamics+are+necessary+for+SRC+family+kinase-dependent+growth+cone+steering.">Microtubule dynamics are necessary for SRC family kinase-dependent growth cone steering.</a> <em style='font-style: italic'>Curr. Biol</em>. <b>14</b>, 1194-1199 (2004).</li></ol>

<p class="jove_content">Aplysia bag cell neurons provide a serum-free neuronal cell culture system with very few non-neuronal cells. These neurons form very large growth cones suitable to address a number of important cell biological questions. Bag cell neurons can easily be manipulated and imaged at room temperature over several hours. Using Fluorescent Speckle Microscopy (FSM) one can quantitatively analyze the various parameters of F-actin and microtubule polymerization and translocation dynamics. These imaging tools together with the recent...

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neuronal cell cultures from aplysia for high-resolution imaging of growth cones

Neuronal growth cones are the highly motile structures at the tip of axons that can detect guidance cues in the environment and transduce this information into directional movement towards the appropriate target cell. To fully understand how guidance information is transmitted from the cell surface to the underlying dynamic cytoskeletal networks, one needs a model system suitable for live cell imaging of protein dynamics at high temporal and spatial resolution. Typical vertebrate growth cones are too small to quantitatively analyze F-actin and microtubule dynamics. Neurons from the sea hare Aplysia californica are 5-10 times larger than vertebrate neurons, can easily be kept at room temperature and are very robust cells for micromanipulation and biophysical measurements. Their growth cones have very defined cytoplasmic regions and a well-described cytoskeletal system. The neuronal cell bodies can be microinjected with a variety of probes for studying growth cone motility and guidance. In the present protocol we demonstrate a procedure for dissection of the abdominal ganglion, culture of bag cell neurons and setting up an imaging chamber for live cell imaging of growth cones.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Neuronal Cell Cultures from Aplysia for High-Resolution Imaging of Growth Cones at JoVE.com

Neuronal Cell Cultures from Aplysia for High-Resolution Imaging of Growth Cones

<p class="jove_content">Aplysia californica neurons develop large growth cones in culture that are excellent for high-resolution imaging of growth cone motility and guidance. Here, we present a protocol for dissection and plating of Aplysia bag cell neurons as well as for setting up a chamber for live cell imaging.</p>

Neuronal growth cones are the highly motile structures at the tip of axons that can detect guidance cues in the environment and transduce this information ...

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