A robust ex vivo experimental platform for molecular-genetic dissection of adult human neocortical cell types and circuits.

ABSTRACT: The powerful suite of available genetic tools is driving tremendous progress in understanding mouse brain cell types and circuits. However, the degree of conservation in human remains largely unknown in large part due to the lack of such tools and healthy tissue preparations. To close this gap, we describe a robust and stable adult human neurosurgically-derived ex vivo acute and cultured neocortical brain slice system optimized for rapid molecular-genetic manipulation. Surprisingly, acute human brain slices exhibited exceptional viability, and neuronal intrinsic membrane properties could be assayed for at least three days. Maintaining adult human slices in culture under sterile conditions further enabled the application of viral tools to drive rapid expression of exogenous transgenes. Wide

SUBMITTER: Ting JT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5976666 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature