Conditional labeling of newborn granule cells to visualize their integration into established circuits in hippocampal slice cultures.

The dentate gyrus continues to produce new granule cells throughout life. Understanding the mechanisms underlying their integration into the pre-existing hippocampal circuitry is of crucial importance. In the present study, we developed an approach allowing visual tracking of newborn granule cells in hippocampal organotypic slices.

NMDA receptors and the differential ischemic vulnerability of hippocampal neurons.

Transient cerebral ischemia causes an inhomogeneous pattern of cell death in the brain. We investigated mechanisms, which may underlie the greater susceptibility of hippocampal CA1 vs. CA3 pyramidal cells to ischemic insult.

Neurogenesis in hippocampal slice cultures.

A major challenge in studying neurogenesis in the adult brain is gaining access to neural stem cells for experimental manipulation. We developed an approach utilizing mouse hippocampal organotypic cultures to characterize neurogenesis under controlled conditions. After 2 weeks in culture, double immunostaining using the mitotic marker BrdU and cell type-specific markers revealed persistent proliferation of various cell types.

Physiological and morphological plasticity induced by chronic treatment with NT-3 or NT-4/5 in hippocampal slice cultures.

Expression of neurotrophins (NTs) and their receptors is elevated in the adult CNS under several neuropathological conditions. We have investigated the anatomical and electrophysiological consequences of chronic NT-3 or NT-4/5 treatment on established organotypic hippocampal slice cultures maintained in vitro for > 14 days. Both NT-3 and NT-4/5 increased spontaneous, action potential-dependent excitatory synaptic activity (sEPSCs), but only NT-3 increased inhibitory synaptic activity (sIPSCs) in CA3 pyramidal cells.