title: Vascular tone and neurovascular coupling: considerations toward an improved in vitro model.
abstract: Neurovascular research has made significant strides toward understanding how the brain neurovascular unit accomplishes rapid and spatial increases in blood flow following neuronal activation. Among the experimental models used, the in vitro brain slice preparation provides unique information revealing the potential signals and cellular mechanisms involved in functional hyperemia. The most crucial limitation of this model, however, is the lack of intraluminal pressure and flow in the vessels being studied. Moreover, differences in basal vascular tone have led to varied interpretations regarding the polarity of vascular responses following neuron-to-glial stimulation. Given the complexity of astrocyte-induced neurovascular responses, we propose the use of a modified in vitro brain slice preparation, where intraluminal arteriolar pressure and flow are retained. Throughout this review, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages to be considered when using brain slices for neurovascular studies. Potential ways to overcome the current limitations are proposed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Medical College of Georgia Augusta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Filosa
references.citation: Nat Neurosci. 1998 Aug;1(4):263-5
references.pmid: 10195155
references.citation: Glia. 1998 May;23(1):1-10
references.pmid: 9562180
references.citation: Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2004 Jul;287(1):H331-9
references.pmid: 14962837
references.citation: Nat Rev Neurosci. 2010 Feb;11(2):87-99
references.pmid: 20087359
references.citation: Neurosci Res. 2007 Oct;59(2):160-71
references.pmid: 17655958
references.citation: J Physiol. 2004 Aug 15;559(Pt 1):3-15
references.pmid: 15218071
references.citation: Glia. 1999 Jun;26(4):280-90
references.pmid: 10383047
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2006 Jun 28;26(26):6997-7006
references.pmid: 16807329
references.citation: Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2008 Sep;35(9):1116-20
references.pmid: 18215190
references.citation: J Neurosci Methods. 1995 Jun;59(1):5-9
references.pmid: 7475251
references.citation: J Neurochem. 2000 Mar;74(3):1263-70
references.pmid: 10693960
references.citation: Stroke. 2009 Apr;40(4):1451-7
references.pmid: 19246694
references.citation: J Neurophysiol. 2007 Aug;98(2):1030-41
references.pmid: 17553943
references.citation: Prog Brain Res. 2004;145:171-8
references.pmid: 14650915
references.citation: Brain Res Rev. 2010 May;63(1-2):138-48
references.pmid: 19948187
references.citation: In Vivo. 2004 May-Jun;18(3):357-66
references.pmid: 15341192
references.citation: Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2008 Feb;294(2):H622-32
references.pmid: 18055520
references.citation: Brain Res. 1995 Oct 2;694(1-2):78-84
references.pmid: 8974667
references.citation: Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2002 Jun;282(6):F1097-102
references.pmid: 11997326
references.citation: J Neurosci Methods. 2009 Oct 15;183(2):107-13
references.pmid: 19524611
references.citation: J Neurochem. 2004 Dec;91(5):1171-9
references.pmid: 15569260
references.citation: J Appl Physiol (1985). 2006 Jan;100(1):318-27
references.pmid: 16357085
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2003 Oct 8;23(27):9254-62
references.pmid: 14534260
references.citation: Circ Res. 1995 Oct;77(4):832-40
references.pmid: 7554130
references.citation: News Physiol Sci. 2002 Feb;17:27-31
references.pmid: 11821533
references.citation: J Neurophysiol. 2008 May;99(5):2035-47
references.pmid: 17913979
references.citation: Clin Sci (Lond). 2009 Jul 16;117(4):139-55
references.pmid: 19601928
references.citation: J Appl Physiol (1985). 2006 Mar;100(3):1059-64
references.pmid: 16467392
references.citation: Nature. 2004 Sep 9;431(7005):137-8
references.pmid: 15356612
references.citation: Neuroscience. 1996 Oct;74(3):927-34
references.pmid: 8884787
references.citation: Br J Pharmacol. 2009 Feb;156(4):545-62
references.pmid: 19187341
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2004 Oct 13;24(41):8940-9
references.pmid: 15483113
references.citation: J Intern Med. 2010 Feb;267(2):156-71
references.pmid: 20175864
references.citation: Science. 1990 Jan 26;247(4941):470-3
references.pmid: 1967852
references.citation: J Physiol. 2003 Dec 1;553(Pt 2):407-14
references.pmid: 14500777
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Jun 27;103(26):10058-63
references.pmid: 16782808
references.citation: Acta Biochim Pol. 2009;56(3):393-404
references.pmid: 19753330
references.citation: Nat Neurosci. 2006 Feb;9(2):260-7
references.pmid: 16388306
references.citation: Hypertension. 1997 Jan;29(1 Pt 2):320-5
references.pmid: 9039122
references.citation: Free Radic Biol Med. 2010 Apr 15;48(8):1044-50
references.pmid: 20100565
references.citation: Acta Neurol Belg. 2004 Jun;104(2):51-6
references.pmid: 15508267
references.citation: Biophys J. 1991 Nov;60(5):1229-42
references.pmid: 1760509
references.citation: Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2010 Apr;30(4):851-8
references.pmid: 20093626
references.citation: Methods Mol Med. 2003;86:413-27
references.pmid: 12886785
references.citation: Expert Opin Ther Targets. 2004 Aug;8(4):321-34
references.pmid: 15268627
references.citation: Science. 1995 Oct 27;270(5236):633-7
references.pmid: 7570021
references.citation: Nature. 2004 Sep 9;431(7005):195-9
references.pmid: 15356633
references.citation: Antioxid Redox Signal. 2009 Feb;11(2):251-66
references.pmid: 18831678
references.citation: Neuroscience. 1997 Aug;79(3):827-36
references.pmid: 9219945
references.citation: Hypertension. 2009 Mar;53(3):532-8
references.pmid: 19188524
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2003 Nov 12;23(32):10302-10
references.pmid: 14614089
references.citation: Am J Physiol. 1984 Mar;246(3 Pt 2):H380-5
references.pmid: 6703074
references.citation: J Neurosci. 1995 Nov;15(11):7427-41
references.pmid: 7472495
references.citation: Nat Neurosci. 1998 Aug;1(4):286-9
references.pmid: 10195161
references.citation: Curr Hypertens Rep. 2007 Jun;9(3):242-7
references.pmid: 17519132
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2003 Mar 1;23(5):1678-87
references.pmid: 12629172
references.citation: Front Biosci. 2008 May 01;13:4198-217
references.pmid: 18508506
references.citation: Nature. 2008 Dec 11;456(7223):745-9
references.pmid: 18971930
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2007 Apr 18;27(16):4452-9
references.pmid: 17442830
references.citation: Front Hum Neurosci. 2009 Feb 24;3:2
references.pmid: 19287480
references.citation: Circ J. 2010 Apr;74(4):608-16
references.pmid: 20234102
references.citation: Nat Neurosci. 2006 Nov;9(11):1397-1403
references.pmid: 17013381
references.citation: J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2010 Apr;30(4):757-68
references.pmid: 20040927
references.citation: Exp Physiol. 2005 Jan;90(1):131-40
references.pmid: 15466455
references.citation: Am J Physiol. 1999 Aug;277(2):H799-811
references.pmid: 10444508
references.citation: J Physiol. 1998 Apr 1;508 ( Pt 1):199-209
references.pmid: 9490839
references.citation: Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2003 Nov;285(5):H2054-63
references.pmid: 12881223
references.citation: Am J Physiol. 1984 Mar;246(3 Pt 2):F349-58
references.pmid: 6703068
references.citation: Brain Lang. 2007 Aug;102(2):141-52
references.pmid: 17010421
references.citation: Trends Neurosci. 2009 Mar;32(3):160-9
references.pmid: 19162338
references.citation: J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2004 Jul;44(1):1-8
references.pmid: 15175551
references.citation: Front Syst Neurosci. 2009 Sep 08;3:9
references.pmid: 19826613
references.citation: J Neurosci. 1994 Aug;14(8):5068-76
references.pmid: 8046468
references.citation: Trends Neurosci. 2005 Apr;28(4):188-95
references.pmid: 15808353
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Feb 23;107(8):3811-6
references.pmid: 20133576
references.citation: Peptides. 2001 Jun;22(6):995-1007
references.pmid: 11390030
references.citation: Am J Physiol. 1999 Dec;277(6):R1760-70
references.pmid: 10600924
references.citation: Nat Neurosci. 2003 Jan;6(1):43-50
references.pmid: 12469126
references.citation: Nat Neurosci. 2007 Nov;10(11):1369-76
references.pmid: 17965657
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2000 Sep 15;20(18):6968-73
references.pmid: 10995841
references.citation: J Neurochem. 2001 Mar;76(5):1404-10
references.pmid: 11238725
references.citation: J Neurochem. 2004 Jan;88(1):246-56
references.pmid: 14675168
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2002 Nov 1;22(21):9430-44
references.pmid: 12417668
references.citation: Circ Res. 2004 Nov 12;95(10):e73-81
references.pmid: 15499024
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Nov 29;102(48):17483-8
references.pmid: 16293699
references.citation: Glia. 2002 Dec;40(3):312-23
references.pmid: 12420311
references.citation: Neurosci Lett. 2000 Nov 10;294(1):9-12
references.pmid: 11044574
references.citation: Eur J Neurosci. 2000 Aug;12(8):2769-80
references.pmid: 10971619
references.citation: Am J Physiol. 1982 Oct;243(4):H598-606
references.pmid: 7124967
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2006 Mar 15;26(11):2862-70
references.pmid: 16540563
references.citation: Prog Neurobiol. 1988;31(1):1-18
references.pmid: 3287453
references.citation: Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2008 Jun;294(6):H2855-63
references.pmid: 18456724
references.citation: Neuroscience. 1999;92(1):47-60
references.pmid: 10392829