Mouse Hippocampal Slice
Mouse Hippocampal Slice - Related Videos
02:55
Obtaining Horizontal Mouse Hippocampal Brain Slices
0 Views •
2025
This video demonstrates a detailed protocol for preparing horizontal hippocampal brain slices from mice, focusing on preserving the integrity of hippocampal fiber pathways. The process involves carefully bisecting and securing the brain, using a vibratome for slicing, and maintaining optimal tissue conditions with a carbogenated fluid, resulting in hippocampal brain slices ready for further experimentation.
08:20
Organotypic Hippocampal Slice Cultures
0 Views •
Cited by 52 •
2011
We describe a method to prepare organotypic hippocampal slices that can be easily adapted to other brain regions. Brain slices are laid on porous membranes and culture media is allowed to form an interface. This method preserves the gross architecture of the hippocampus for up to 2 weeks in culture.
05:09
Microscopic Analysis of Synapses in Mouse Hippocampal Slices Using Immunofluorescence
0 Views •
2025
Source: McLeod, F., et al. Evaluation of Synapse Density in Hippocampal Rodent Brain Slices. J. Vis. Exp. (2017).This video demonstrates a method for visualizing synaptic markers in hippocampal brain slices using confocal immunofluorescence analysis. The slices are immunostained with primary antibodies targeting presynaptic and postsynaptic markers, followed by fluorophore-conjugated secondary antibodies. The labeled markers are then visualized using confocal microscopy to evaluate the synaptic...
05:33
Gene Expression via Single-Cell Electroporation in Mouse Hippocampal Slice Cultures
0 Views •
2025
Source: Keener, D. G., et al. Single-Cell Electroporation across Different Organotypic Slice Culture of Mouse Hippocampal Excitatory and Class-Specific Inhibitory Neurons. J. Vis. Exp. (2020).This video demonstrates the process of single-cell electroporation to introduce plasmid DNA into neurons within mouse hippocampal slice cultures. The procedure involves precise pipette positioning, pressure adjustments, and electroporation pulses to transiently permeabilize the neuronal membrane,...
02:44
Recording of Local Field Potential in Mouse Hippocampal-Entorhinal Cortex Slices
0 Views •
2025
The video demonstrates a procedure to record the local field potential (LFP) in mouse hippocampal-entorhinal cortex slices. Electrical stimulation is provided at the CA3 stratum radiatum of the hippocampus, which causes changes in the postsynaptic potential at the CA1 stratum pyramidale. The combined change in the membrane potential of CA1 neurons, termed the local field potential, is recorded.
FAQs
Oxygenated artificial cerebrospinal fluid provides the surrounding conditions needed to keep the sectioned tissue viable after removal from the animal. Maintaining this environment allows neurons and local connections to continue supporting electrical signaling, which is essential for examining synaptic function under controlled experimental conditions. Changes in tissue viability could otherwise compromise electrophysiological, imaging, pharmacological, or plasticity measurements.
These regions give researchers access to defined parts of the hippocampal circuit rather than treating the structure as a uniform tissue block. Studying CA1, CA3, or the dentate gyrus separately helps focus measurements on regional neural circuits and synaptic function. This anatomical control supports more precise investigation of how hippocampal organization relates to learning, memory, epilepsy, and neurodegenerative disease.
Electrophysiology can examine electrical signaling, while imaging provides a way to observe activity or tissue responses within accessible hippocampal regions. Pharmacology allows researchers to test how selected experimental treatments affect these processes, and synaptic plasticity experiments address activity-dependent changes in synaptic function. Combining these approaches can connect circuit behavior with cellular and synaptic mechanisms.
The preparation begins with rapid dissection of the hippocampus, followed by sectioning to produce thin tissue sections. The slices are then maintained in oxygenated artificial cerebrospinal fluid so the tissue can remain viable and support electrical signaling. Speed during dissection and sectioning is important because the preparation must preserve accessible hippocampal regions and their local connections for subsequent experiments.
Two features are central: thin sectioning and continuous maintenance in oxygenated artificial cerebrospinal fluid. Thin sections provide experimental access to defined regions such as CA1, CA3, and the dentate gyrus, while the oxygenated solution supports tissue viability. Together, these conditions make it possible to apply electrophysiology, imaging, pharmacology, or synaptic plasticity protocols to the preparation.
This preparation is useful when researchers need controlled access to hippocampal circuits while reducing the complexity of a whole-animal experiment. It supports focused studies of synaptic function and plasticity, including mechanisms relevant to learning and memory. The same approach can also be applied to investigations of epilepsy and neurodegenerative disease, where defined circuit responses are experimentally informative.