title: The brain slicer: anatomical precision for organotypic explant culture.
abstract: A brain slicing apparatus originally developed for electrophysiological studies of cat visual cortex slices has been used to prepare explants from anatomically identifiable regions of the developing CNS for long-term organotypic culture in Maximow double coverslip assemblies. This instrument permits the very rapid, reproducible and atraumatic preparation of viable explants from specific brain regions with an optimal thickness range of 350-400 microns. The stainless steel cutting grid with its gold-plated tungsten wires and the Agarose cutting base are nontoxic and easy to sterilize. The degree of atlas-quality, anatomic precision achieved makes the brain slicer also uniquely suited for the preparation of anatomically defined brain regions for use as transplants.
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Sciences, Columbia University, College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, NY 10032.
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Toran-Allerand
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008867:Microtomy; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats