Tissue Preparation and Immunostaining of Mouse Sensory Nerve Fibers Innervating Skin and Limb Bones

JoVE 3485 1/26/2012

Andrew J. Shepherd¹, Durga P. Mohapatra^1,2

¹Department of Pharmacology, The University of Iowa, ²Department of Anesthesia, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa

Immunocytochemical identification of peripheral sensory nerve fiber subtypes (and detection of protein expression therein) are key to the understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying peripheral sensation. Here we describe methods for preparation of peripheral/visceral tissue samples, such as skin and limb bones, for specific immunostaining of peripheral sensory nerve fibers.

Combining Peripheral Nerve Grafting and Matrix Modulation to Repair the Injured Rat Spinal Cord

JoVE 1324 11/20/2009

John D. Houle, Arthi Amin, Marie-Pascale Cote, Michel Lemay, Kassi Miller, Harra Sandrow, Lauren Santi, Jed Shumsky, Veronica Tom

Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine

Traumatic injury to the spinal cord disrupts communication with the brain. To restore lost connectivity we utilize a peripheral nerve graft to provide a substratum for regenerating fibers in combination with neurotrophic factors and matrix-modulating enzymes to remove inhibitory molecules to promote long distance growth.

Muscle Receptor Organs in the Crayfish Abdomen: A Student Laboratory Exercise in Proprioception

JoVE 2323 11/18/2010

Bonnie Leksrisawat*, Ann S. Cooper*, Allison B. Gilberts*, Robin L. Cooper*

Department of Biology, University of Kentucky

The primary purpose of this experiment is to understand how primary sensory neurons convey information of joint movements and positions as proprioceptive information for an animal. An additional objective of this report is present the anatomy of the preparation by dissection and viewing of neurons under a dissecting microscope.

Membrane Potentials, Synaptic Responses, Neuronal Circuitry, Neuromodulation and Muscle Histology Using the Crayfish: Student Laboratory Exercises

JoVE 2322 1/18/2011

Brittany Baierlein*¹, Alison L. Thurow*¹, Harold L. Atwood*², Robin L. Cooper*¹

¹Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, ²Department of Physiology, University of Toronto

The experiments demonstrate an easy approach for students to gain experience in examining muscle structure, synaptic responses, the effects of ion gradients and permeability on membrane potentials. Also, a sensory-CNS-motor-muscle circuit is presented to show a means to test effects of compounds on a neuronal circuit.

The Culture of Primary Motor and Sensory Neurons in Defined Media on Electrospun Poly-L-lactide Nanofiber Scaffolds

JoVE 2389 2/15/2011

Michelle K. Leach¹, Zhang-Qi Feng², Caitlyn C. Gertz³, Samuel J. Tuck³, Tara M. Regan³, Youssef Naim³, Andrea M. Vincent³, Joseph M. Corey^1,3,4

¹Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, ²State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Southeast University, ³Department of Neurology, University of Michigan , ⁴Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Health System

Aligned electrospun fibers direct the growth of neurons in vitro and are a potential component of nerve regeneration scaffolds. We describe a procedure for preparing electrospun fiber substrates and the serum-free culture of primary rat E15 sensory (DRG) and motor neurons. Visualization of neurons by immunocytochemistry is also included.

Postsynaptic Recordings at Afferent Dendrites Contacting Cochlear Inner Hair Cells: Monitoring Multivesicular Release at a Ribbon Synapse

JoVE 2442 2/10/2011

Lisa Grant*¹, Eunyoung Yi*¹, Juan D. Goutman², Elisabeth Glowatzki¹

¹Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery., The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, ²Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas

Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings from auditory nerve fiber dendrites at the inner hair cell ribbon synapse in the mammalian cochlea.

Electrospinning Fundamentals: Optimizing Solution and Apparatus Parameters

JoVE 2494 1/21/2011

Michelle K. Leach¹, Zhang-Qi Feng^1,2, Samuel J. Tuck³, Joseph M. Corey^1,3,4

¹Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, ²State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Southeast University, ³Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, ⁴Geriatrics Research, Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare Center

Electrospinning techniques can create a variety of nanofibrous scaffolds for tissue engineering or other applications. We describe here a procedure to optimize the parameters of the electrospinning solution and apparatus to obtain fibers with the desired morphology and alignment. Common problems and troubleshooting techniques are also presented.

August 2011: This Month in JoVE

JoVE 3776 8/01/2011

Aaron Kolski-Andreaco

Determining heat and mechanical pain threshold in inflamed skin of human subjects

JoVE 1092 1/14/2009

Martin S Angst, Martha Tingle, Nicholas G Phillips, Brendan Carvalho

Department of Anesthesia, Stanford University School of Medicine

Algorithms assessing heat and mechanical pain thresholds in experimentally inflamed skin of human study subjects are shown. The two pain testing paradigms independently examine nociceptive processing by the two major peripheral nerve fiber populations transmitting pain, i.e., non-myelinated C fibers and small myelinated A-delta fibers.

Imaging Odor-Evoked Activities in the Mouse Olfactory Bulb using Optical Reflectance and Autofluorescence Signals

JoVE 3336 10/31/2011

Romain Chery, Barbara L’Heureux, Mounir Bendahmane, Rémi Renaud, Claire Martin, Frédéric Pain, Hirac Gurden

Laboratoire d’Imagerie et de Modélisation en Neurobiologie et Cancérologie, UMR8165 Université Paris Sud 11, Paris Diderot 7 – CNRS

This article presents the protocols of intrinsic optical signals and flavoproteins autofluorescence signals imaging to map odor-evoked activities at the surface of the olfactory bulb in mice.