Dopaminergic Explants
Dopaminergic Explants - Related Videos
08:24
Dissection and Culture of Mouse Dopaminergic and Striatal Explants in Three-Dimensional Collagen Matrix Assays
0 Views •
Cited by 12 •
2012
Explants from the midbrain dopamine system and striatum are used in a collagen matrix assay for the in vitro analysis of mesostriatal and striatonigral pathway development. In this assay axonal outgrowth and guidance can be manipulated and quantified. It can also be modified for assessing other regions or molecular cues.
11:58
Primary Culture of Mouse Dopaminergic Neurons
0 Views •
Cited by 73 •
2014
Dopaminergic neurons play a vital regulatory role in the brain. Their loss is associated with Parkinson's disease. In this video, we show how to generate primary cultures of central dopaminergic neurons from embryonic mouse mesencephalon. Such cultures are useful to study the extreme vulnerability of these neurons to various stresses.
06:40
Directed Dopaminergic Neuron Differentiation from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells
0 Views •
Cited by 56 •
2014
We, based on knowledge from developmental biology and published research, developed an optimized protocol to efficiently generate A9 midbrain dopaminergic neurons from both human embryonic stem cells and human induced pluripotent stem cells, which would be useful for disease modeling and cell replacement therapy for Parkinson’s disease.
06:25
Explant Culture for Developmental Studies
0 Views •
2023
Explant culture is a technique in which living cells or tissues are removed from an embryo for continued development outside of the organism. This ex vivo approach allows researchers to manipulate and observe developing tissues in ways that are not possible in vivo. Once established, explant culture is frequently used to understand the role of genes and signaling molecules in organogenesis. This video will first introduce the basic principles of explant culture and demonstrate a protocol to...
07:45
Explant Culture of Neural Tissue
0 Views •
2023
The intricate structure of the vertebrate nervous system arises from a complex series of events involving cell differentiation, cell migration, and changes in cell morphology. Studying these processes is essential to our understanding of nervous system function as well as our ability to diagnose and treat disorders that result from abnormal development. However, neural tissues are relatively inaccessible for experimental manipulations, especially in embryonic mammals. As a result, many...
FAQs
Their value comes from retaining dopaminergic cells within a local piece of nervous tissue rather than separating them into individual cells. This preserves aspects of tissue organization while still allowing researchers to observe neurite extension, contact formation, and dopamine release under controlled conditions. The resulting model supports experiments that require both cellular access and some remaining local architecture.
Researchers can follow several linked behaviors, including axon or neurite growth, neuronal survival, formation of cellular contacts, dopamine release, and responses to experimental treatments. Observing these processes within the same tissue context helps connect structural changes, such as extending neurites, with functional outcomes, such as transmitter release or altered survival.
They provide a controlled setting for examining dopaminergic neuronal survival, growth, connectivity, and responses to treatment, all of which are relevant to disease-related neuroscience. Because the tissue retains aspects of organization while remaining accessible to direct manipulation, investigators can study cellular mechanisms that are difficult to isolate in intact animals or dissociated cultures.
Preparation begins with dissection to isolate nervous tissue containing dopamine-producing neurons. The explanted tissue is then placed under controlled culture conditions that allow the cells to remain within their local environment while extending neurites, forming contacts, and releasing dopamine. Researchers can subsequently observe the tissue directly and apply experimental manipulations to assess cellular responses.
Treatment effects can be assessed through changes in neuronal survival, axon or neurite growth, cellular responses, contact formation, and dopamine release. Examining several outcomes together helps distinguish whether an intervention primarily affects structural development, cell maintenance, connectivity, or dopaminergic function. This makes the model useful for comparing how experimental conditions influence different aspects of neuronal behavior.
This approach is useful when investigators need direct observation and manipulation without giving up all tissue organization. Compared with intact-animal studies, it offers a more controlled ex vivo setting; compared with dissociated cultures, it retains a local cellular environment. It therefore serves as an intermediate model for studying dopaminergic development, connectivity, survival, and disease-relevant responses.