title: In vitro reconstruction and functional development of the superior colliculus in the retinotectal pathway.
abstract: In order to examine the formation of a neural network and the functional development of a visual pathway, we performed in vitro reconstruction of the retinotectal pathway using organotypic explants and co-culture methods. Retinas and superior colliculus (SC) slices obtained from embryonic rats were co-cultured on microelectrode array (MEA) substrates for four weeks. We observed retinal ganglion cell neurites innervating SC slices that evoked responses in retinas or SC slices after applying electrical stimulation. Functional connections between retinas and SC slices were formed in the cultures. At the same time, spontaneous electrical activities were recorded from both the retinas and SC slices over the four weeks. In the co-cultured SC slices, sporadic firings were initially observed at 3-4 days in vitro (DIV), and thereafter the frequency of spontaneous firing increased and synchronized activities occurred after two weeks in vitro (WIV). In most of the single-cultured SC slices, however, only sporadic firings were observed over four weeks. In addition, the retinas and SC slices were co-cultured to enable the exchange of soluble factors with each other via culture medium but not via direct neural connections. The activity patterns resembled ones of single-cultured SC slices. These results suggest that signal inputs from retinas through direct neural connections affect the development of SCs in the retinotectal pathway.
authors: Department of Human and Engineered Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8563, Japan. SHirota@mdanderson.org
authors: Shinya
authors: S
authors: Hirota
authors: Hiroyuki
authors: H
authors: Moriguchi
authors: Atsushi
authors: A
authors: Saito
authors: Kousuke
authors: K
authors: Inoue
authors: Akitoshi
authors: A
authors: Murakami
authors: Kiyoshi
authors: K
authors: Kotani
authors: Yasuhiko
authors: Y
authors: Jimbo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D013477:Superior Colliculi / Q000502:physiology*; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000502:physiology*