title: Regulation of Cortical Dendrite Morphology and Spine Organization by Secreted Semaphorins: A Primary Culture Approach.
abstract: Primary tissue culture is an invaluable technique in cell biology and has a long history in demonstrating its versatility in characterizing cellular morphology, function, and behavior. Here, we describe a modified, low density, long-term, primary neuron culture system to characterize dendritic morphology and synaptic spine organization in developing mouse cortical neurons. While this method can be applied to investigate the signaling pathways of a range of extracellular cues' effect on neuronal development, we focus on how distinct secreted semaphorins regulate dendritic elaboration and spine morphogenesis in deep layer cortical neurons.
authors: Department of Biological Science, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA.
authors: Sheng-Shiang
authors: SS
authors: Peng
authors: Department of Biological Science, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA. tstran@rutgers.edu.
authors: Tracy S
authors: TS
authors: Tran
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003712:Dendrites / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009024:Morphogenesis; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D039961:Semaphorins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D039961:Semaphorins
keywords: Confocal microscopy; Dendritic Complexity Index (DCI); Dendritic growth and branching; Nucleofector transfection; Serum-free media; Spine density