title: Drosophila nerve cord culture: a tool for studying neural development.
abstract: The culture of explanted neural tissues has been a useful tool for the study of cellular and molecular neurobiology in vertebrates. We have developed a technique for the culture of explanted ventral nerve cords from Drosophila embryos. We have examined the morphology and dynamic behaviour of the growth cones that extend from these nerve cords, and the effect of calcium deprivation on the bundling of axons that are regenerated from the explanted tissue. This technique offers a unique opportunity to combine in vitro techniques for neuronal cell culture with the powerful techniques of genetic analysis that are available with Drosophila.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA. ye-wang@uclink.berkeley.edu
authors.forename: Y E
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chandler
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Bieber
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D046508:Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D004330:Drosophila / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology; D020439:Growth Cones / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D009417:Nerve Tissue / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium