Inhibitors of the phosphodiesterase 2 increased axonal fibre growth in a dopaminergic organotypic ex vivo slice co-culture model

Abstract

Background Due to the necessity for therapeutic strategies promoting neuro-(re)generation the development of appropriate models appraising the potential of substances for regeneration and repair of neuronal circuits are of great importance. Here we present a procedure for the quantification of fibre outgrowth on the basis of organotypic slice co-cultures of the dopaminergic projection system, appropriate for characterising the effects on axonal growth after treatment with well known controls and growth factors e.g. nerve growth factor (NGF) and new drug candidates. Therefore co-culture preparations were used, consisting of at least two slices of different parts of the brain, namely the ventral tegmental area/substantia nigra (VTA/SN) and the striatum (STR), whereas while incubation fibres projections regenerate and new connections were built, linking the two slices [1,2].