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Review
. 2016 Aug;53(6):4226-4237.
doi: 10.1007/s12035-015-9362-4. Epub 2015 Jul 30.

Organotypic Hippocampal Slices as Models for Stroke and Traumatic Brain Injury

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Review

Organotypic Hippocampal Slices as Models for Stroke and Traumatic Brain Injury

Qian Li et al. Mol Neurobiol. 2016 Aug.

Abstract

Organotypic hippocampal slice cultures (OHSCs) have been used as a powerful ex vivo model for decades. They have been used successfully in studies of neuronal death, microglial activation, mossy fiber regeneration, neurogenesis, and drug screening. As a pre-animal experimental phase for physiologic and pathologic brain research, OHSCs offer outcomes that are relatively closer to those of whole-animal studies than outcomes obtained from cell culture in vitro. At the same time, mechanisms can be studied more precisely in OHSCs than they can be in vivo. Here, we summarize stroke and traumatic brain injury research that has been carried out in OHSCs and review classic experimental applications of OHSCs and its limitations.

Keywords: Organotypic hippocampal slice cultures; Stoke; Traumatic brain injury.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. The preparation and pathological models of chronic organotypic hippocampal slice cultures (OHSCs)
Hippocampus is disected from mouse brains (from −1.06 mm to −2.80 mm relative to bregma) at postnatal day 3 to 9. OHSCs are prepared with a tissue chopper and are generally 350 μm in thickness. After being cultured for 10–14 days in vitro (DIV), the slices thin out and should have a healthy/integrated structure under brightfield microscopy. The disease models and pathophysiologic processes that can be studied with OHSCs are listed in the boxes. DG, dentate gyrus.

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