The embryonic rodent cortex exhibits a transverse neurogenetic gradient throughout the developmental period, such that lateral neocortex is approximately 1 day more mature than dorsal medial neocortex 28. The bulk of layer 6 neurons are thus generated (i.e. exhibit their final S-phase) on E12 in lateral cortex (also called Field 405) and at E13 in the dorsal medial cortex (also called Field 15). Preplate splitting begins approximately 1 day after Layer 6 neuron generation and thus is initiated in the lateral cortex on E13 and the dorsal cortex on E14. To study preplate splitting and the initiation of cortical plate development, we modified a slice explant assay 21,24 such that entire cerebral hemispheres were cultured typically from E13 to E15 (Figure 1).
We tested the viability of the cortical explant technique by examining the growth of whole hemisphere explants derived from Tg(Eomes::eGFP)Gsat mice (Figure 2). This mouse strain contains a transgene that reports immature neurons of the excitatory cortical lineage 7,29,30 . Whole hemisphere cortical explants were prepared at E13, at a time point prior to preplate splitting in the dorsal neocortex (Figure 2A). Cortical explants from the same litter were drop fixed sequentially over a period of 2 DIV and processed for subsequent histological analysis. At the initial analysis time point (DIV 0), preplate splitting has not yet occurred in Field 1 (Dorsal neocortex; Figures 2A, 2E). By 1 DIV the CP is apparent (Figures 2B, 2C, 2F, 2G), and it continues to grow up to 2 DIV (Figures 2D, 2H). Thus the whole hemisphere explants cultured initially at E13 support for two days the maturation of the cerebral cortex and captures preplate splitting in the dorsal neocortex.
To confirm normal histological development in the dorsal neocortex, we immunostained 2 DIV explants for chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs), an extracellular matrix component that is also an established marker of the PP and its derivatives the MZ and SP 8,31,32 . Immunostaining for CSPGs reveals two bands of CSPG immunoreactivity in the dorsal cortex indicating appropriate splitting of the PP into MZ and SP during the in vitro culture period (Figures 3A-3C). The PP is split by L6 cortical neurons that are known to express the transcription factors Ctip2 and Tbr1 7,33,34 . The immunostaining pattern of these markers (Figures 3D-3F, 3G-I, respectively) confirms the appropriate expression of these transcription factors in the newly formed CP. Together these analyses confirm organotypic early cortical development in the whole hemisphere explants.
In utero electroporations have been used extensively to assay for cell autonomous gene function in the developing cortex 35. We therefore tested whether electroporation could successfully transfect neurons in the whole hemisphere explant model. The left ventricle of intact E13 embryos were injected with 0.33 mg/ml CAG-GFP plasmid and electroporated (see Methods) to introduce the plasmid DNA into the neuronal precursors that line the lateral ventricle (Figure 1A). After 2 DIV the explants were dropped fixed and sectioned for histological analysis. At this time point, GFP expressing cells were observed in all cortical zones across the cerebral wall (Figures 4A-4C). GFP expression could be observed from neuronal precursors in the VZ while intense GFP expressing cells were observed in the IZ and CP. Importantly, numerous GFP+ neurons were observed at the top of the forming CP with emerging dendrites and axons. The cells have formed a discrete layer at the interface between the CP and MZ indicating appropriate migration arrest and lamination (Figures 4A-4C, arrows). The dendrites extended into the MZ while corticofugal axons extend below the CP and into the IZ (Figures 4A-4C and 5, See also Supplemental Movie S1). Below the differentiating cells are GFP+ cells in varying states of maturity, including neurons with a bipolar morphology, juxtaposed to radial glial fibers and below them, multipolar neurons in the IZ (Figures 4D-4F). In addition, the dendrites are observed extending into the MZ where the ECM protein Reelin is appropriately immunolocalized (Figures 4G-4I). The electroporation and explant conditions thus permit normal development of cortical neurons through the stages of precursor to migrating neuron to immature differentiating neuron.
At the time of electroporation (E13) 100% of the neurons produced by the dorsal neocortical VZ are L6 neurons, the neurons that split the PP 5. Successful electroporation requires that constructs be introduced into neurons during the 6 hr immediately prior to, or during, M-phase of the cell cycle 36. It is thus expected that the earliest postmitotic, GFP+ neurons following E13 electroporation in the dorsal cortex (Field 1) should populate the forming CP. Such neurons were observed (Figure 4) indicating that the protocol can reliably target L6 cortical neurons for studies of their migration and maturation.
To estimate the "success rate" of the electroporation/explant procedure we analyzed an ongoing investigation from our lab. In the course of that study, 21 litters of explants have been prepared, a total of 248 embryos were electroporated (as described above) with CAG-GFP, and a single hemisphere explant from each embryo was prepared. Of the original 248 explants, 195 (79%) were judged suitable for imaging and analysis. About half of the 53 explants that could not be analyzed failed to express GFP or had mis-targeted GFP expression. The remaining losses were explained by dysmorphic growth due to explant detachment from the culture filter, or problems associated with histological processing. This success rate of roughly 80% (Figure 5) has rendered the explant system suitable for pharmacological studies 26, as well as the analysis of recessive mutations 7 that adversely affect early cortical development.

Figure 1. Whole hemisphere explant procedure with ex utero electroporation. A) E13 mouse embryos are injected with a plasmid DNA solution and electroporated. The brains are dissected and transected sagitally. The electroporated hemisphere are then placed medial side down on a collagen coated filter and cultured for 2 DIV. The hemispheres can then be imaged live or fixed for histology and subsequent imaging analysis. B) A photo of 10 explants placed on three filters in a six well tissue culture dish. C) The six well dish with explants is placed in a high oxygen environment (95% O2 / 5% CO2) within a Billups-Rothenberg Incubator chamber, which is then placed in a standard 37 °C tissue culture incubator.

Figure 2. Organotypic growth of cortical plate in whole hemisphere explants derived from a single litter of Eomes::eGFP embryos. A, E) A coronal section from a drop-fixed brain at the beginning of the culture period (O DIV). Note that the PP is present but that CP has yet to form. The green signal is produced by GFP expression in immature excitatory neurons and the blue is Hoechst dye that labels the nucleus of all cells. B, F). CP growth, denoted by dashed lines, is observed by 0.5 DIV and increases by 1 DIV (C and G) and 2 DIV (panels D and H). Note the increased thickness of the GFP expressing cell domain in panels A-D, indicating the proliferation and differentiation of the excitatory neuron lineage in the explant. Scale bars are 500 μm (panel A) and 50 μm (panel H). Abbreviations: CP, Cortical Plate; IZ, Intermediate Zone; MZ, Marginal Zone; SP, Subplate; VZ, Ventricular Zone.

Figure 3. Preplate splitting in whole hemisphere explants. A-C) Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG) immunostaining illustrates the division (splitting) of the PP into the MZ and SP. D-F) Expression of the transcription factor Ctip2 in the newly formed CP. G-I) Expression of the transcription factor Tbr1 in the newly formed CP. Scale bars are 50 μm in panels C, F, I.

Figure 4. GFP expression in whole hemisphere explants after E13 ex utero electroporation. A-C) GFP expression after 2 DIV. Note the layer of cortical neurons forming at the top of the CP (arrows). D-F) Nestin (red) immunoreactivity in a section from a whole hemisphere explant. G-H) Reelin (red) immunoreactivity in a section derived from a whole hemisphere explant. Scale bars in panels C, F, and I are 50 μm.

Figure 5. Variability in targeting ex utero electroporations to dorsal medial cortex (Field 1). Eleven embryos from a single litter were electroporated with the CAG-GFP expression construct (0.33 mg/ml) and cultured as whole hemisphere explants. A-I) Nine of eleven explants showed expression of GFP in dorsal medial cortex. Although GFP expression varies between explants, in each explant GFP is detected in all three cortical zones (i.e. VZ, IZ and CP). Scale bar is 50 μm in panel A.