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Semiautomated Analysis of Dendrite Morphology in Cell Culture

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Neural Development

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1018))

Abstract

Quantifying dendrite morphology is a method for determining the effect of biochemical pathways and extracellular agents on neuronal development and differentiation. Quantification can be performed using Sholl analysis, dendrite counting, and length quantification. These procedures can be performed on dendrite-forming cell lines or primary neurons grown in culture. In this protocol, we describe the use of a set of computer programs to assist in quantifying many aspects of dendrite morphology, including changes in total and localized arbor complexity.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by NSF grants IBN-0919747 and IBN-0548543, March of Dimes Foundation grant 1-FY08-464, and NJ Governor’s Council for Medical Research and Treatment of Autism grant 10-406-SCH-E-0.

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Sweet, E.S., Langhammer, C.L., Kutzing, M.K., Firestein, B.L. (2013). Semiautomated Analysis of Dendrite Morphology in Cell Culture. In: Zhou, R., Mei, L. (eds) Neural Development. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1018. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-444-9_24

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-444-9_24

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-62703-443-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-62703-444-9

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