Abstract

The use of non-human primates provides an excellent translational model for our understanding of developmental and aging processes in humans1-6. In addition, the use of non-human primates has recently afforded the opportunity to naturally model complex psychiatric disorders such as alcohol abuse7. Here we describe a technique for blocking the brain in the coronal plane of the vervet monkey (Chlorocebus aethiops sabeus) in the intact skull in stereotaxic space. The method described here provides a standard plane of section between blocks and subjects and minimizes partial sections between blocks. Sectioning a block of tissue in the coronal plane also facilitates the delineation of an area of interest. This method provides manageable sized blocks since a single hemisphere of the vervet monkey yields more than 1200 sections when slicing at 50μm. Furthermore by blocking the brain into 1cm blocks, it facilitates penetration of sucrose for cyroprotection and allows the block to be sliced on a standard cryostat.

Highlights

  • The use of non-human primates provides an excellent translational model for our understanding of developmental and aging processes in humans 1-6

  • We describe a technique for blocking the brain in the coronal plane of the vervet monkey (Chlorocebus aethiops sabeus) in the intact skull in stereotaxic space

  • Pregnant vervets were allowed to drink the equivalent of 3-5 standard drinks four times a week during the third trimester and we report that there is a 35% reduction of neurons in the frontal cortex[13]

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Summary

Part 1: Pre-processing of tissue

1. Tissue should be well perfused with paraformaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, or formalin. Tissue should be well perfused with paraformaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, or formalin This can be achieved through standard transcardial perfusion typically used to harvest other organs. In the present study the subject was deeply sedated with ketamine hydrochloride (10 mg/kg, i.m.), euthanized with an overdose of sodium pentobarbital (25 mg/kg, i.v.) and perfused transcardially with 0.1 M PBS until completely exsanguinated.This is followed by a 4% paraformaldehyde solution in PBS for 5 min (~1 liter)

Part 2: Stereotaxic blocking
Part 3: Removing the brain from the skull
Part 4: Measurements
Part 6: Representative Results
Findings
Discussion

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