A method for a more complete in vitro Parkinson's model: slice culture bioassay for modeling maintenance and repair of the nigrostriatal circuit.

Slice culture model systems provide a unique opportunity to monitor and lesion brain circuits in a dish. Using a novel approach, we have generated parasagittal slices from mouse brains that preserve, throughout the culture process, the nigrostriatal circuit. These slices can be cultured for approximately 4 weeks with maintenance of normal neuronal cytoarchitecture.