title: Optimisation of in ovo electroporation of the chick neural tube.
abstract: Chick in ovo neural tube electroporation has become a widely used method for assaying gene function during embryonic development. Since its first description, many variants of this technique have been described, with varying values for specific parameters such as electrode type and spacing, voltage, pulse duration and plasmid DNA concentration. Here we examine the influence of some of these variables and derive a detailed and optimal protocol for electroporating the caudal neural tube during the third day of embryonic development. Our findings highlight the importance of electrode placement and DNA dilution buffer for optimal expression and absence of electroporation artifacts.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), Unité de Developpement des Circuits Neuronaux, Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Louis-Philippe
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Croteau
authors.forename: Artur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kania
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002642:Chick Embryo / Q000196:embryology / Q000601:surgery*; D018274:Electroporation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008839:Microelectrodes / Q000592:standards; D054259:Neural Tube / Q000196:embryology / Q000601:surgery*; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; C486626:FOXP1 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C485184:enhanced green fluorescent protein; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins