In vitro hypopxia - acute functional test for neuroprotective compounds

Fields of research:

Measurement of basic synaptic transmission or synaptic plasticity (LTP) (Electrophysiology) 

Role of ion channels and ion exchangers in cerebral ischemia

Influence of metabotropic glutamate receptors on ischemic damage

Methods of research:

Field potential recordings from acutely isolated hippocampal slices from adult rats or juvenile organotypic hippocampal slices, area CA1 or area dentata

Alone or in combination with propidium iodide "death" staining (PI-"death staining") 

Freshly isolated slices from adult rats or organotypic slice cultures are placed into an interface type recording chamber in which the surface of the slices is exposed to a moist carbogen atmosphere. A population spike is evoked by stimulation of the Schaffer collateral/commissural fibres via a stainless steel electrode and recorded with a glass microelectrode (1-4 MW) in the stratum pyramidale of the CA1 region. The magnitude of the population spike amplitude is direct proportional to the number of simultaneously firing neurons and is evaluated by calculating the voltage difference between the negative peak and the positive one preceding it. Interruption of oxygen and glucose supply results in a complete loss of the evoked electrophysiological responses shortly after the onset of hypoxia/hypoglycemia and the population spikes recover to a stable level of about 40% of the baseline amplitude within one hour after the insult.

For further information please contact:

Dr. Ulrich Schröder
phone: +49(0391)6263781 or 6117208
schroede@ifn-magdeburg.de 

Eckbert Wilhelmi
phone: +49(0391)6117202 or 6117202
wilhelmi@zenit-magdeburg.de 
   

Set up for slice recording

Recovery of synaptic transmission following a short period of hypoxia/hypoglycemia 

Protection by  group III metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist (R, S)-4-phosphonophenylglycine

Time course of population spike recovery
   

Recent Publications:

Sabelhaus CF, Schröder UH, Breder J, Henrich-Noack P, Reymann KG. (2000) Neuroprotection against hypoxic/hypoglycaemic injury after the insult by the group III metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist (R, S)-4-phosphonophenylglycine Br J Pharmacol 131:655-658.

Breder J, Sabelhaus CF, Opitz T, Reymann KG, Schröder, UH (2000) Inhibition of different pathways influencing Na+ homeostasis protects organotypic hippocampal slice cultures from hypoxic/hypoglycemic injury. Neuropharmacology 39: 1779-1787

Schröder UH, Breder J, Sabelhaus CF, Reymann KG. (1999) The novel Na+/ Ca2+ exchange inhibitor KB-R7943 protects CA1 neurons in rat hippocampal slices against hypoxic/hypoglycemic injury. Neuropharmacology 38: 319-321

Schröder UH, Reiser M, Breder J, Sabelhaus CF, Wolf G, Reymann KG. (1999) Effects of.the novel Na+/Ca2+ exchange inhibitor KB-R7943 on aspartate release and on neuronal survival after a hypoxic/hypoglycemic insult. Soc. Neurosci Abstr. 25: 2102

Schröder UH, Opitz T, Jäger T, Sabelhaus CF, Breder J, Reymann KG (1999) Protective effect of group I metabotropic glutamate receptor activation against hypoxic/hypoglycemic injury in rat hippocampal slices: timing and involvement of protein kinase C. Neuropharmacology 38: 209-216