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Axon Growth and Regeneration pp 97–111Cite as

Organotypic Slice Co-culture Systems to Study Axon Regeneration in the Dopaminergic System Ex Vivo

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Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1162))

Abstract

Organotypic slice co-cultures are suitable tools to study axonal regeneration and development (growth or regrowth) of different projection systems of the CNS under ex vivo conditions.

In this chapter, we describe in detail the reconstruction of the mesocortical and nigrostriatal dopaminergic projection system culturing tissue slices from the ventral tegmental area/substantia nigra (VTA/SN) with the prefrontal cortex (PFC) or the striatum (STR). The protocol includes the detailed slice preparation and incubation. Moreover, different application possibilities of the ex vivo model are mentioned; as an example, the substance treatment procedure and biocytin tracing are described to reveal the effect of applied substances on fiber outgrowth.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank K. Krause, K. Becker, K. Sygnecka, and J. Ding for technical assistance. This study was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (FR 1253/3-2) and by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF 1315883).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rudolf Boehm Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Leipzig, Härtelstraße 16-18, D-04107, Leipzig, Germany

    Claudia Heine & Heike Franke

  2. Translational Centre for Regenerative Medicine (TRM), University of Leipzig, Philipp-Rosenthal-Strasse 55, D-04103, Leipzig, Germany

    Claudia Heine

Authors
  1. Claudia Heine
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  2. Heike Franke
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Correspondence to Heike Franke .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA

    Andrew J. Murray

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Heine, C., Franke, H. (2014). Organotypic Slice Co-culture Systems to Study Axon Regeneration in the Dopaminergic System Ex Vivo. In: Murray, A. (eds) Axon Growth and Regeneration. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1162. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-0777-9_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-0777-9_8

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-0776-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-0777-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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