抄録
Organotypic cultures of the spinal cord were obtained from mouse embryos at days 14-15 of gestation, following two different protocols. In one protocol, the spinal cord was cut into 150 μm thick transverse sections. Slices were transferred onto collagen-coated coverslips that were then placed within culture dishes. Cultures were maintained in a humidified incubator under an atmosphere containing 5% CO2. In the other protocol, the spinal cord was chopped into 0.4 mm slices that were embedded in plasma clot on cleaned glass coverslips. The coverslips were introduced into conical plastic tubes on the drum of a tube roller, incubated in a dray atmosphere.From 1–14 days in vitro, tight-seal whole-cell recordings were made from neurons located in the superficial dorsal horn and in the deep dorsal horn. The recordings were also made from presumable motor neurons located in the ventral horn. In the presence of tetrodotoxin, the spontaneous miniature postsynaptic currents (mPSCs) were recorded at a holding potential of -70mV. These mPSCs were identified as mEPSCs mediated by NMDA and non-NMDA subtype of glutamate receptors, and mIPSCs mediated by either glycine or GABAA receptors.The organotypic slice culture of spinal cord may provide an opportunity to investigate synaptic transmission and neuronal properties in the spinal cord. Further pharmacological characterization of neurons in organotypic slice culture of the spinal cord would clues for understanding of development and differentiation in the spinal cord. [J Physiol Sci. 2007;57 Suppl:S156]
