Slice Viability
Slice Viability - Related Videos
12:03
Viability Assays for Cells in Culture
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Cited by 39 •
2014
Therapeutic compounds are often first examined in vitro with viability assays. Blind cell counts by a human observer can be highly sensitive to small changes in cell number but do not assess function. Computerized viability assays, as described here, can assess both structure and function in an objective manner.
05:47
Counting and Determining the Viability of Cultured Cells
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Cited by 19 •
2008
Determining the number of cells in culture is important in standardization of culture conditions and in performing accurate quantitation experiments. In this video, we demonstrate how cells are counted using a hemacytometer.
02:38
Fluorescence-Based Viability Assessment of Oral Anaerobic Bacteria
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2026
Source: Calatayud Arroyo, M., et al. Assessing the Viability of a Synthetic Bacterial Consortium on the In Vitro Gut Host-microbe Interface. J. Vis. Exp. (2018)The video demonstrates a method to evaluate the viability of anaerobic oral bacteria using fluorescent dyes and flow cytometry. It begins with culturing bacteria in oxygen-free broth, followed by resuspending a single colony from a blood agar plate. After incubation and dilution, the culture is stained with membrane-permeable and...
07:05
Viability of Bioprinted Cellular Constructs Using a Three Dispenser Cartesian Printer
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Cited by 6 •
2015
A Cartesian bioprinter was designed and fabricated to allow multi-material deposition in precise, reproducible geometries, while also allowing control of environmental factors. Utilizing the three-dimensional bioprinter, complex and viable constructs may be printed and easily reproduced.
07:28
Imaging Cell Viability on Non-transparent Scaffolds — Using the Example of a Novel Knitted Titanium Implant
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Cited by 6 •
2016
Here we present a fluorophore based imaging technique to detect cell viability on a non-transparent titanium scaffold as well as to detect glimpses of the scaffold impurities. This protocol troubleshoots the drawback of imaging cell-cell or cell-metal interactions on non-transparent scaffolds.
FAQs
Maintaining an oxygenated artificial cerebrospinal fluid helps limit hypoxia, a state in which tissue receives too little oxygen. By reducing hypoxia and the resulting risk of energy failure, the preparation is more likely to preserve neuronal function and synaptic signaling. This makes oxygen control a central mechanism for keeping measurements interpretable outside the organism.
These variables recreate key aspects of the environment needed by excised neural tissue. Controlled pH and ion balance support synaptic signaling, while temperature and nutrient control help maintain metabolism and limit physiological disruption. Keeping them stable reduces changes caused by the preparation itself, allowing observed electrophysiological responses to be linked more confidently to the experimental condition.
Researchers can evaluate viability through complementary structural, metabolic, and functional readouts. Morphology provides information about the appearance and preservation of the tissue, metabolism indicates whether basic cellular activity persists, and electrophysiological responses test whether neurons and circuits still respond functionally. Considering these measures together is more informative than relying on a single observation.
An excised slice is maintained in oxygenated artificial cerebrospinal fluid while researchers control temperature, pH, nutrients, and ion balance. They then monitor morphology, metabolism, and electrophysiological responses to determine whether the preparation remains suitable for measurement. This workflow connects environmental control with quality assessment and helps identify disruption of neuronal or synaptic function.
Once physiological responses are preserved, brain-slice experiments can examine synaptic transmission, neuronal excitability, and plasticity under controlled conditions. The same preparation can also support studies of disease mechanisms and drug effects. These applications let researchers focus on defined changes in neuronal circuits while retaining more circuit-level physiology than a purely cellular experiment.
Slice viability provides an intermediate experimental setting: researchers work with excised tissue under controlled conditions, yet can still measure neuronal circuits and synaptic signaling. This balance helps connect cellular mechanisms with circuit-level behavior while complementing studies of intact brain function. The approach is therefore useful for interpreting how local physiology relates to broader neuroscience questions.