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Neurotrophic Factors pp 179–200Cite as

Diolistic Labeling and Analysis of Dendritic Spines

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Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1727))

Abstract

Dendritic spines are diverse and plastic components of the neuronal cell apparatus and are highly responsive to trophic factors during both development and adulthood. Diolistic labeling of neurons with lipophilic fluorescent dyes, coupled with advanced high-resolution microscopy methods, provides robust labeling of dendritic spines for assessment of their density and morphology. Here, we describe a method for labeling of dendritic spines using diolistic labeling in ex vivo brain slices, visualization using confocal laser scanning microscopy, deconvolution, and analysis using the Surpass module of Bitplane Imaris software.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by NIH grants DA024355, DA037741, and AA025590 to MFO and NIH grants DA DA036569 to CDG.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA

    M. Foster Olive, Armani P. Del Franco & Cassandra D. Gipson

Authors
  1. M. Foster Olive
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  2. Armani P. Del Franco
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  3. Cassandra D. Gipson
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Foster Olive .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy

    Stephen D. Skaper

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Foster Olive, M., Del Franco, A.P., Gipson, C.D. (2018). Diolistic Labeling and Analysis of Dendritic Spines. In: Skaper, S. (eds) Neurotrophic Factors. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1727. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7571-6_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7571-6_14

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-7570-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-7571-6

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