title: Organotypic slice cultures for studies of postnatal neurogenesis.
abstract: Here we describe a technique for studying hippocampal postnatal neurogenesis in the rodent brain using the organotypic slice culture technique. This method maintains the characteristic topographical morphology of the hippocampus while allowing direct application of pharmacological agents to the developing hippocampal dentate gyrus. Additionally, slice cultures can be maintained for up to 4 weeks and thus, allow one to study the maturation process of newborn granule neurons. Slice cultures allow for efficient pharmacological manipulation of hippocampal slices while excluding complex variables such as uncertainties related to the deep anatomic location of the hippocampus as well as the blood brain barrier. For these reasons, we sought to optimize organotypic slice cultures specifically for postnatal neurogenesis research.
authors: Department of Physiology, University of Toronto.
authors: Adam J
authors: AJ
authors: Mosa
authors: Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University; Department of Education and Research, Taipei City Hospital.
authors: Sabrina
authors: S
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Physiology, University of Toronto.
authors: Yao Fang
authors: YF
authors: Tan
authors: Department of Physiology, University of Toronto; martin.wojtowicz@utoronto.ca.
authors: J Martin
authors: JM
authors: Wojtowicz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000166:cytology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley