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Inflammation pp 367–375Cite as

Quantitative Assessment of Cerebral Basement Membranes Using Electron Microscopy

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Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1559))

Abstract

In this chapter we describe in detail the tissue processing techniques we employ for the study of cerebral tissue by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In particular, we explain a technique that enables quantification of changes in cerebral basement membranes at the ultrastructural level. This is significant, as age related pathological conditions affecting the brain are often accompanied by ultrastructural changes in the cerebral vasculature.

Briefly, experimental mice are fixed by perfusion and their brains removed. Brains are then vibratomed into 100 μm slices with regions of interest microdissected and processed for TEM following a protocol optimized for the preservation of cerebral tissue. Changes in the thickness of cerebral basement membranes are then quantified using novel software. Some prior knowledge of general TEM specimen preparation and sectioning will be useful when performing this protocol.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK

    Matthew MacGregor Sharp, Alan Morris, Roy O. Weller & Roxana O. Carare

  2. Biomedical Imaging Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK

    Anton Page

Authors
  1. Matthew MacGregor Sharp
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  2. Anton Page
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  3. Alan Morris
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  4. Roy O. Weller
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  5. Roxana O. Carare
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Matthew MacGregor Sharp .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany

    Björn E. Clausen

  2. Section Medical Physiology Department of Neuroscience, University of Groningen University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Jon D. Laman

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Sharp, M.M., Page, A., Morris, A., Weller, R.O., Carare, R.O. (2017). Quantitative Assessment of Cerebral Basement Membranes Using Electron Microscopy. In: Clausen, B., Laman, J. (eds) Inflammation. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1559. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6786-5_25

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6786-5_25

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-6784-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-6786-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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