title: [Effect of different culture media on viability and tau protein expression in rat hippocampal slices].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the effect of different culture media on viability and expression of tau protein in organotypic hippocampal slice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Brain slices (400 microm) from 1, 2, 4, and 8 week-old Wistar rats were prepared and cultured in minimum essential medium (MEM) or Dulbecco's modified eagle medium: nutrient mixture (DMEM/F12) medium respectively for 21 days. Viability of the slices was measured by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay and expression of tau protein was detected by Western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The viability of the slices was not influenced significantly by the two different culture media, while the expression level of tau protein was significantly higher in DMEM/F12 than in MEM (P < 0.05), especially in the slices from 2 and 4 week-old rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The slices from 2 or 4 week-old rat hippocampi and DMEM/F12 medium may be the preferred choice for tau associated researches. An ideal Alzheimer's disease model may be established based on the results of these researches.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
authors.forename: Ying-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiao-Mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Jian-Zhi
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003470:Culture Media; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D016875:tau Proteins; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase