Open AccessCulturing Embryonic Nasal Explants for Developmental and Physiological Study
Author(s) -
Klenke Ulrike,
TaylorBurds Carol
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
current protocols in neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.307
H-Index - 40
eISSN - 1934-8576
pISSN - 1934-8584
DOI - 10.1002/0471142301.ns0325s59
Subject(s) - explant culture , embryonic stem cell , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , in vitro , genetics , gene
Primary cultures obtained from embryonic nasal placodes can maintain olfactory neurons, olfactory ensheathing cells, and large numbers of gonadotropin releasing hormone‐1 (GnRH) neurons. Depending on the age of the starting material, one can examine cell interactions important for placode formation or neuronal migration and axonal outgrowth. When generated at E11.5 in mouse, neuronal migration and axon outgrowth away from the main tissue mass occurs. This area of the explant, the periphery, is only a few cells thick. This characteristic offers the opportunity to image single cells and axons and allows pharmacological and molecular manipulations as well as physiological recordings to be performed. Here, we describe a system for culturing nasal explants used in our laboratory. This model system provides a method for obtaining physiological cellular responses with post hoc immunohistochemistry, or gene expression studies, on cells arising from the nasal placode. Curr. Protoc. Neurosci . 59:3.25.1‐3.25.16. © 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.